I Ain't Nobody
by horrorphile
Summary: This story starts off immediately after Carol is banished from the prison. Daryl searches for her and will be helping her to deal with what she has done. This is a Caryl story and there will be emotions flying as they stop hiding their feelings from one another. This is a love story. I can promise that Daryl will step up to be Carol's defender and she will open up her heart to him.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is going to be my way of working through my anger at TWD for messing with my favorite character and favorite ship. One is bad enough but two is asking for literary retaliation. This story begins right after the end of Episode 3 and is primarily a Caryl ship.**

**Disclaimer: TWD has all rights to these characters and storylines. I own nothing and make nothing from this endeavor.**

**I Ain't Nobody**

Carol drove down unfamiliar roads while she fought through the familiar feelings of fear and loneliness. She has thought that was all in the past; that she being a productive member of her group had changed her made her different from the woman who dodged Ed's fists and accepted him telling her, "Nobody will want you". All it took was Rick saying that to her, "Nobody will want you" as he banished her from the prison and put her out on this empty road with a shitty car and almost no chance of survival.

Carol's lip trembled, but she fixed her eyes on the road ahead and tried to find someplace to be safe for the night. She needed to find a place to hide away and think about how she was going to survive alone in this world. After many miles Carol saw a farmhouse with a steel building barn next to it. She pulled in and pulled out her knife. She turned the car around and left the keys in the ignition. She moved toward the steel building and found that it was locked. Daryl had shown her how to pick locks the first winter that they were on the road and she used that skill to unlock the building.

Carol moved cautiously through the door. The big room was empty except for a tractor and other farming supplies. She moved the car in and locked the door. There was a second story loft and she moved toward that to see if she could see out of the vents. She had a view of the empty road and she sat and watched it for a while. The building was quiet and that felt strange too. She had gotten used to the noises around the prison; the sound of children playing, the clangs of the pots and pans in the kitchen, and the everyday sounds of people living in small cells close to each other. There were no secrets at the prison because the walls talked if you listened. Carol had trained herself not to listen but she found herself wondering if she should have listened. Had she become so concerned with protecting the group so that she could block out the sounds of her own secrets coming out?

Carol dismissed that thought and drank some water. She tried to eat but found that she couldn't force anything down. Rick was right not to let her take Lizzie and Mika. Lizzie was sick and Mika was only ten. They would forget about her soon enough and someone else would take care of them. Why had she told that couple that she had two girls? Why had just saying that make her feel lighter inside?

She had said her name to Rick, "Sophia". He had been digging at all her scars today trying to find the most tender ones to prod. What Rick didn't know was that the slide show could start at the most inconvenient times and you never really knew what photos that were going to be flashing by this time. Sometimes they were of Sophia as a baby and sometimes it was her first day of school, and sometimes it was Sophia playing with Carl at the camp. They all hurt though and she had learned not to see the slideshow the way she had learned not to listen to the noises at the prison.

Carol made a bed in the loft and settled down for the night. She had no idea what she was going to do tomorrow. She had enough food and water for a few days. She could hunker down here for tonight and tomorrow she would come up with a plan for the rest of her probably short life.

Carol knew that sleep wasn't coming tonight and that she wouldn't be able to read in her cell to block out the noises. She saw Karen and David every time she closed her eyes. The gurgle of their lungs filling with blood, their bodies burning with fever, and the suffering in their tormented eyes was with her still . Karen had said one word to her, "Please" and when she bent to talk to her Karen had managed to touch her knife. Carol had backed away horrified but Karen's blood filled eyes followed her. Karen was soon too weak and sick to say anything. She was in pain though and finally Carol had pushed the knife in as gently as she could and closed Karen's bloody eyes.

Carol had gone to check on David who was dying as she went in. She put him down so that he couldn't turn. She decided to burn the bodies to keep the germs down. These were the only two sick. Their deaths might end this. Carol dragged the bodies out the door and set them on fire. She didn't really remember much after putting David down; she had operated on auto pilot and then she became afraid that the others would not understand why she had put Karen out of her misery. So she had kept quiet and hoped that this would be the end of it

That was just the start of the deaths and she hadn't stopped anything. It all led to this; banishment. Her punishment for allowing Karen to escape the pain and suffering of an inescapable death and for her cowardice in trying to hide from what she did.

Llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Daryl's group had gotten back to the prison late that afternoon. Rick had opened the gates to the prison and let them in. Daryl had decided to show Carol the green stone that he had found today. Rick pulled him aside once they were inside the prison and said, "Daryl, I need to talk to you about Carol".

Daryl felt his heart sink, "Did she get sick? We brought back medicine and that will help."

Rick decided that there was no easy way to tell this, "Carol killed Karen and David. She thought that she was stopping the flu from spreading. She killed them and burned their bodies. She admitted it to me today. Carol has become cold and hard. She can't be trusted."

Daryl struggled with his feelings. Carol killing a member of their group was unbelievable. She had always done everything possible to ensure make their lives her more comfortable and safe. Carol a killer? "Where is she? We need to keep her away from Tyreese; he isn't thinking straight and he will try to hurt her. I need to see her now".

Rick said, "We went on a run today and after I realized how dangerous she was I sent her away".

Daryl didn't understand," What do you mean away? There's no away to go to. You left her out there by herself?"

Rick tried to calm Daryl. "She has a car and supplies. I told her that she might find a new group to join, but nobody is going to want her. "

Daryl looked at Rick in disbelief and anger. "I ain't nobody and I want her. Where did you leave her?"

Rick tried to talk him down. "We need you here at the prison. There are more sick people and we need every able bodied person we can get. Carol can take care of herself; she isn't weak and dependent any more".

Daryl said, "Where did you leave her? I am going to look for her and you best pray that she is alive and well when I find her. Nobody made you God over us, she might have done something wrong but she is still Carol and there is no way in hell that I will stay here while she is out there by herself".

Michonne heard their raised voices and moved closer. She had figured Carol had put those two out of their misery all along. Probably thought that it would stop the outbreak but that didn't happen. Rick had banished Carol from the prison which was a death sentence. Daryl would go after her. Shit, they would lose both Carol and Daryl. Tyreese was too torn up over losing Karen and Sasha being sick to make sense.

Daryl looked at Rick and said, "Tell me where she is."

Rick answered," I don't have any idea. We were at that village about eight miles out and I left to go come back here and she turned and went west. She could be anywhere and there is only a few hours until dark. Wait until tomorrow."

Daryl said, "Where are the keys? 

Rick tossed the keys to Daryl who turned toward the vehicle to see Michonne waiting at the car door to talk to him.

"Listen Daryl and listen well. Go find her and make sure that she is safe. Stay with her until this gets settled. It's time to make your wants known and it's time to take care of Carol. I will hold the fort down here and try to talk to Tyreese. Tell Carol that it's all right to cry; I had a good cry myself just the other day and I felt better afterward. She's bottled too much inside and she needs some kindness now. If you can't do that, let me go and find her".

Daryl looked at Michonne and saw understanding in her eyes, "Carol needs me now".

Michonne let him out of the prison and he was soon out of sight. She had to stay here and deal with Tyreese and Rick. She envied Daryl; he was going to go find Carol and take care of her. She might be a tad homicidal but who wasn't these days. Yeah, Farmer Rick and Crazy Man Tyreese was the toughest job.

Daryl had already planned his route out. Carol would have been upset and probably stayed on the same road that she left on. She would be looking for a place to hide out and get her bearings. Someplace quiet and where there wasn't much walker activity. Rick had described the vehicle that she was in and he figured that she would hide that away. He searched for hours and it was getting late in the day when he saw the farmhouse with the steel building. His hunter instinct told him that this was the place. He drove toward the steel building, and got out. The door was locked but he unlocked it quickly.

Carol was waiting on the other side of the door and he saw that she was not hurt, "Go home Daryl. I don't need you or anybody anymore."

Daryl looked at his best friend. "That's a lie. You do need me and I need you too much to leave you here by yourself. Somebody told you a lie today when they said nobody would want you. That's not true, I want you and I ain't nobody."

Carol looked at her best friend, "I should have hidden better than this."

"I would have still found you, I am not letting go of you", he answered, and he gathered her into his arms and held on.


	2. Finding the Stones

Finding the Stones

Carol woke up early the next morning and found herself lying close to a sleeping Daryl. For a moment she thought she was at the prison and then yesterday came roaring back. She was never going go through those gates again, never see Lizzie and Mika, and those people again unless it was from some safe distance. She was the pariah; the children at the prison would grow up hearing scary stories about the monster that had dwelt among them.

Daryl opened his eyes and pulled her closer, "Good morning, sweetheart".

He had tended to her as if she was an invalid last night. He had walked her to a makeshift restroom, stood guard, and escorted her back. He had made certain that she drank water and tried to get her to eat. Daryl had asked no questions, but he had made lots of physical contact with her. He sat close to her, put his arm around her, held her hand, and has slept so close to her that she could feel his breath on her neck.

Carol needed to go to the restroom and wondered if Daryl would let her go unattended. He was her keeper, her guard, and her jailer it seems. "Daryl", she began.

"Yeah, me too. Let's go water the local plant life", he said, getting up and pulling her up. He put his hands in her hair and tried to settle the curls down a little. "You're a wild woman today".

"You need to go back today; they'll need you more than me. I can take of myself," she started.

"Carol, I need to go piss, so hold your dramatics until later".

They left the loft and headed to the door. Daryl listened for a minute or two and then cautiously opened the door. It was very early in the morning and she breathed in the clean morning air. It smelled better than the prison and she felt another band around her heart loosen just a bit. They moved back into the woods and used the facilities. Daryl had even remembered to bring toilet paper.

"Let's just take a walk and enjoy the morning", Daryl said and they ambled along a path that ran parallel to the road. They didn't talk and soon they turned and went back inside and locked the door behind them.

Daryl insisted that she eat something this morning and she forced down some oatmeal. They ate side by side and if she stopped eating for too long Daryl would gently bump her shoulder to motivate her eat.

"I brought you something from my run yesterday," he said handing her a small green stone, "its jasper".

"It's very pretty, but I don't need it". Carol pushed it back to him and Daryl pushed it back into her hand.

"Did you ever read Sophia the story of Hansel and Gretel? "He asked and the mention of her name sent the slideshow reeling through her. Sophia had loved all those fairy tales and Sophia would curl up next to her and follow along as she read. For just a moment, she could see, hear, and smell her baby beside her and she tried to block it out, but it was more difficult to do here.

Daryl saw the pain in her eyes and didn't say anything. Michonne had told him that Carol had kept too much trapped inside her and he knew now that was true. He waited a bit, and finally she managed, "Yes, she loved it".

"Well, they found their way back by following the stones. This is your first stone and every time I give you a stone you need to talk to me about something that you have trapped inside you. This is how you find your way back," Daryl put his arm around her and kissed the tears on her face.

"Daryl there is no finding the way back; I am not the same person that I was. This is the new me. Old Carol doesn't exist anymore. Go back to the prison and stop playing Dr. Phil, "she spat out angrily.

Daryl was glad to see that she was mad, angry people lost control sometimes and talked more than they would normally, "Nobody is the same person they were when this started, not just you. You have the stone so you have to talk."

Carol decided to let him see the real her. "I am not afraid to make hard choices. I don't want to love anyone because they are just going to die. I am sick of smelling blood, shit, vomit, and the dead. I hate this world and I am tired of fighting it. It's too hard. I want out." She found herself crying again and she was furious with herself. She had lost control again; he was pushing too many buttons. She pushed the stone back to him, "Your turn, asshole".

Daryl looked at the stone and knew that he couldn't help her unless he unlocked some secrets too, "I hate living in a prison with all those people. I would like to just get in a truck and drive some place where there aren't any people and just find a cabin and live off the land. Every day is just a list of demands that never get met and no time to talk to you. I can't lose you Carol, that's the thing. I am not here just because you need me but because I need you." There he had admitted that he was here because he couldn't go on without her. He put the stone back in her hand, "It's your turn, asshole".

She smiled at him then and really looked at him. He was worn out from going on runs, digging graves, and dealing with death. He had stepped into a leadership role after Rick went off to create compost and ignore the shit all around them, and it wasn't natural to him. "Pookie, you don't need me, you need a vacation."

"That doesn't count, tell me something that you don't want people to know, that you don't want to know." Daryl could be relentless.

"I hate that I care so much for Lizzie and Mika. I can't bear to lose another child. But yesterday when Rick told me that I was out, I wanted them with me. I think I just didn't want to be by myself". Carol was tired of pretending that she didn't love the girls; they were all screwed up but she had always been attracted to them. They didn't have a mother and she didn't have a child. "I snapped at Lizzie yesterday when she called me Mom. I didn't want her to think of me as her mother after what I had done. I wish I had told her that I love her though."

Daryl took the stone back, "I loved Zack. He was like a little brother to me. Kinda clumsy and trying to be cool all the time. He had a big time crush on Beth and I would tease him about it. I don't know why. I just liked him a lot. I screwed up at the Big Spot and he got killed. I went to Beth when we got back and she acted like I had told her that it was raining. I was more upset than she was. I went to your cell after that and waited for you awhile. I wanted to talk but you never came back. You are never there when I need you because you are off taking care of everybody else."

Carol remembered, "One of the children had a high fever that night and I was trying to get the fever down with a cool shower. Zack was a cutie and Beth did like him a lot." Carol squeezed his hand and felt the warmth ooze through her. She leaned on him and let herself feel the sensation of trusting someone enough to close her eyes and just be still.

Daryl watched her and knew that she wasn't the only one on this journey. They weren't finding their way back because he never really understood why Hansel and Gretel had wanted to find their way back to a father that was going to take them back to the woods and dump them off again. He and Carol were using the stones to find their way to each other. Carol was his first priority from now on. He wanted her in his life and if the prison couldn't accept what she had done he would choose a life with her. Carol would try to drive him away because she would sacrifice herself for the prison; she had over and over again before. He was hanging in though because it was starting to realize how much he needed her.

They spent the morning together. He never asked about Karen and David. She would talk when she was able to face it. He understood what she need and why. He probably would not have done it, but if it had worked? Would you feel better about yourself as you dug grave after grave for the people that you lost because you hesitated? Daryl had been in enough battles to know that you have to go with your instincts or you are done.

Carol made some lunch and they ate sitting on the trailer that the farmer must have used with the tractor. "Go back and check to see how things are going at the prison, we are going to need more water soon "she ventured.

He eyed her and said, "I took the distributor cap off of your car, and we will go get water together after we eat".

They spent the afternoon scavenging on a rural road. They found some supplies and a new hiding place. This one was a log cabin tucked into the woods but the owners had put bars on the windows and secure locks. It was simple but there was actually a spring fed toilet and some running water. They moved in before dark and put heavy blankets over the windows.

Daryl had found a large white pebble and he handed it to Carol after they ate dinner. She took it with a sigh, "I am not running from you anymore. I am glad you are here, I need to tell you what happened". She told every detail of what it had been like in those two cells. Daryl let it unfold without interrupting. It was hard to listen to because she was reliving it as she told it. He didn't condemn her; he had too much blood on his hands to do that. They were all killers and that is how they had survived this long in this world.

She handed the pebble back to him. "I was on a run with Michonne. We went into a hardware store looking for some fencing supplies. The door had been shut and we went in quiet. I heard a sound and turned and there was a man standing there. I killed him with an arrow before he could say anything. He didn't even have a real weapon. I think he was just some scavenger looking something to protect his hideout," Daryl had never told anyone about that run and he knew Michonne hadn't either. Things happened out here and you kept it quiet.

They spent the evening sitting on the rockers and not talking much. Carol seemed exhausted and Daryl wondered how long she had been sleep deprived. She was out all hours of the night taking care of the sick or some problem in the prison and then she got up early and made sure that everyone had something to eat. She went to sleep before it got dark and he sat in the rocker and watched her sleep.

Later, he stretched out beside her on the bed and she woke up with a start. "It's just me, Carol. Just go back to sleep." Carol was trembling and he moved closer to her and kissed her on her shoulder. "Bad dream" she muttered and he rubbed her back. She began to calm down but he continued the rub her back in a circular pattern. "I used to do that with Sophia when she had the colic," she said.

"Did it work with her?" Daryl asked

"Most of the time, but sometimes she would just go on screaming her head off, "Carol seemed lost in thought. "I haven't let myself think about her very much."

Daryl didn't say anything but continued rubbing her back. "Daryl, please go back tomorrow and check on Lizzie and Mika. I want to know how they are. I will be all right here by myself."

Carol let herself enjoy being touched by Daryl. She suddenly recognized that she touched occasionally but didn't really let other people touch her. She usually touched people only when it was necessary. Daryl had rarely touched her in the past and for over twenty four hours he had been nonstop touching. "What's with all the touching? You don't like to be touched. Daryl"

"It feels good to touch you and know that you are with me. Maybe I told myself so often that I don't like to be touched that I started to believe it. Anytime you want to jump in here I'll let you," Daryl teased.

Daryl moved his hand up to the back of her neck and felt Carol shiver. "Don't want to scare you sweetheart. Just always wanted to do that."

Carol was glad that Daryl didn't catch that her shiver was from desire and not fear. His hands were starting to wander away from her back to her shoulders and she recognized that he wanted to be with her. She turned to face him and wasn't surprised that he kissed her gently on her mouth. He sat up beside her and leaned down and kissed her again while one hand went under her shirt to cup a breast. Everything he did was slow and gentle and he never pushed but she felt her body react to him. One hand moved slowly down her stomach and between her legs. He just rubbed her gently there without entering her. Carol opened her mouth and their kiss deepened but stayed gentle. Carol put her hands under Daryl shirt and felt the scars on his back. She expected Daryl to flinch away but he moved his mouth to her breasts and she closed her eyes and just let the feeling wash over her.

She wanted him and she was wanted by him. He knew the truth about her and still wanted her. She unbuttoned his shirt and he waited poised above her while she pulled it off. He removed her shirt and pulled off her pants. Daryl kicked off his pants and she could feel him everywhere against her body. His haste was to be naked and not to take her then. He continued to touch and caress her until she shook against fingers and let herself go. He entered her then and began to thrust into her and her traitorous body clamored again for release and this time they went on the dance together.

Carol realized that she was lying naked with a naked Daryl in a strange bed after she had been banished from the group that she loved. It felt strangely comfortable to just lie here and feel that life was still capable of happy surprises. She kissed him and nuzzled into his neck and Daryl rubbed her back some more. She was surprised that Daryl rose to another occasion so quickly but he was in no particular hurry until she was and when it was over Daryl still held her in his arms. "Okay, did you work as a gigolo some time or do you read romance novels to get pointers?" Carol asked.

Daryl laughed, "No, it was all Merle's vast knowledge of the female body. He once told me that women want to be touched and men want to screw and that it really works best if men just give them what they want and then they give you what you want."

Carol recognized the truth in all that, "So, Daryl did you get what you wanted?"

Daryl wondered if there was a trap there but went with the truth, "Hell, yes I did. I have wanted to do that since the quarry.

Carol assessed her situation. She was still a whisper away from being eaten by walkers; everyone hated her and would kill her on sight. On the other hand, she had tonight with Daryl. She was going with just thinking about tonight.

Daryl kept touching her breasts and kissing them, "I have been looking down those shirts forever trying to see those nipples."

Carol laughed, "I am going to sleep, Show's over, See you next time".

Daryl kissed her, "Are you sure? Merle."

Carol cut in, "No more sex advice from Merle. Did you know that I once threatened to slit his throat?"

Daryl went on, "Merle told me, but he also told me that it gave him a gigantic woodie when you said that. Lots of women wanted to cut his throat. He was Merle all the time 24/7. "

Carol said, "Goodnight Daryl, I am going to go to sleep now." She paused for a few seconds and then said in an almost whisper. "Keep holding me, please".

Daryl pulled her even closer to him and she went to sleep. Daryl's last thoughts before he went to sleep were to her," Carol, I am not letting you go"

"

"


	3. Things Not Seen

**Carol is still a work in progress and so is the Caryl ship, but they have both made progress. Carol is not going to turn back into the sweet lost woman of seasons past but she has begun to recognize that blocking out everything that hurts and focusing solely on group survival has taken a heavy toll on her. She needs some of those things she discarded along the way and this chapter will deal with one of those, her faith.**

The Evidence of Things Not Seen

Carol slipped out of bed very early the next morning and slipped into the tiny restroom and peed. There was soap and running water in the sink and she began to wash herself with cold water, but it felt good to be clean again. She opened up a box beside the toilet cautiously and smiled at the stack of books beside it.

Carol sat down on the toilet to look through the books and saw a bible there. She held her breath for a moment and then very slowly opened the book to familiar verses Romans 8:26-27. Those verses reminded her that God makes provisions for people who become so despairing that they can't pray. She had been a believer and had lost her way. Her anger at God for taking Sophia and creating the hellish world had separated her from her faith. She turned away from her faith and put all her trust in herself to make decisions. That had not worked out so well for her. If she had taken a minute to pray about what to do with Karen and David she would not have acted by herself and of her own volition. She could have gone to another believer in Hershel and talked it over. She had acted out of hubris and out of the will of God.

Carol sat there for a while and made things right between her and God. It was not something that she could explain to anyone else, but she unblocked her faith and repented of her anger against God. She felt God's love and forgiveness and saw things that she hadn't before. God had put good people in her life and had given her two children to love. Daryl had stood by her when no one would have condemned him for turning his back. God had given her a position of importance in restoring His world at the prison and had waited on her to return to her faith in Him.

Daryl knocked on the door, "Carol, are you alright?"

Carol answered, "Yes, I am better than alright".

She opened the door and Daryl saw that despite the tears in her eyes she seemed peaceful. He saw that she had found a bible and was carrying it. Carol had given up religion a while ago but maybe she had found something in the book to make her feel better.

He handed her a red stone. "Gotta go, see you soon" and he went into the toilet. Daryl had put the blanket back on the bed and taken the blankets off of the barred windows. And found time to find a new rock. She must have been in there a while.

Carol went to all the doors of the cabin and looked out. She didn't see any walkers and she slowly opened the door to the outside. The small yard was empty and she sat down on the step just to have some time to herself. The sun was just peeking up and she could see the rays of the sun slanting through the pine forest. She kept watch while she thought about the red rock.

It was a while before Daryl came out. He had scrubbed himself clean and actually washed his hair. "Don't be daydreaming out here, "he muttered. He was a tad bossy this morning she thought. "Good morning, Pookie," she said and was rewarded with his real smile, the one that he rarely gave anyone. He kissed her and she could taste the toothpaste from the small bathroom and the Daryl taste that no toothpaste could ever fully disguise. He kissed her again and she saw that new glint in his eye that said to her, "Let's go back to bed". She held up the red rock instead.

They sat side by side on the rockers in the house. Daryl was just too worried about a stray walker to concentrate outside. Carol started, "I was really happy to be on the council. For so much of my life I had been ordered around and I had no say in anything. I put my heart into it; I concentrated on building the prison into a home. I put everything in my life second to that and it wasn't a bad thing to do. But I went too far and thought that I could never be wrong. I was proud, too proud I think. I started doing things on my own like starting a knife class for my story time kids. I didn't ask anyone for permission because I wanted to do it and I didn't want to be stopped.

She handed the red stone to Daryl. He started, "I liked being on the council too. It made me feel important and needed. I had spent most of my life cold trailing Merle and getting him out of messes. I never was on a sports team or had friends. We just moved from place to place and I was just Merle's brother. Being on the council made me feel good. I liked the attention from the others; I liked the little kids looking up to me. Rick was out playing in the dirt and somebody needed to organize the security. I didn't spend any time with you because I was too damn important. I wasn't Merle's little brother any more. Maybe I got a little over confident and got Zack killed. "

Carol rubbed his arm, "You are important to the group; they need you. That isn't a bad thing. Things happen on runs that you couldn't control."

"You did a good job on the council; you would come up with ideas that nobody else thought of that worked out for the group", Daryl said, "You are the best leader of all of us. You think more clearly and consider all the angles."

"You need to go back this morning," Carol didn't want him to go, but he was needed there. She was far steadier this morning than she had been in a long time.

Daryl suddenly grinned and stood up. He checked the lock on the door again and went to the windows and put the blankets back up. Carol helped him with the last window and he picked her up and put her on the bed. "Come on sweetheart, its Daryl time".

"Daryl time? Is that like story time?"

"No, not so much. It is a lot like playing doctor. You show me yours and I'll show you mine. And then we bump uglies a while." Daryl was taking off his clothes and Carol was enjoying the view.

"I want to play the warden and the prisoner and I get to be the warden", Carol teased.

"Hell, that works for me as long as you are a naked warden".

Michonne hadn't had a particularly good few days. They had almost been killed several times on the run to the vet college. They got back and found the prison in terrible shape. Carol and Daryl were missing in action. Rick had told Tyreese that Carol had killed Karen and David. And that was the good part.

The death toll was mounting from the disease. They had stopped burying the bodies because there was no one to dig the graves. They had to burn them and the smell from the burning bodies seemed to incite the damn walkers worse than usual.

Michonne maneuvered to be on fence detail with Tyreese and she had managed to bring him back to some degree of normalcy. Sasha was better and that seemed to help. Michonne knew how to get people to talk to her and she talked to Tyreese from time to time on the fence. She finally got around to talking about Carol and how unlike her this all was. Tyreese had talked about how kind Carol was to sick and injured people. He couldn't understand why she would have done that to Karen. Gradually, Tyreese got to the point in which he seemed to get beyond his grief to try to imagine a reason why Carol would do it. Rick had told him that she killed them to stop the disease. Michonne stopped killing walkers long enough to take a long look at the dead bodies piling up on the trailer. They were going to take these out further so that the smell wouldn't be close to the prison. Tyreese followed her gaze and he stared at the bodies with tears in his eyes. "They were good people, you know. They didn't deserve this," Tyreese said.

Then she and Tyreese took the bodies out to be burned. They unloaded them a mile away from the prison and set their bodies on fire. The dead's' faces seemed to still mirror the pain and suffering of their death. "Poor bastards suffocate on their own blood", Michonne said, truly saddened by the intensity with which this disease struck. She drove back slowly; the prison was a death camp. She would never be able to think of it as the refuge she had in the past.

Michonne was more confrontational with Rick. He didn't like being challenged but the situation was so desperate that he was afraid that she would leave too. She asked him why he had banished Carol without giving her a chance to speak to the group. He said that Tyreese would kill her and he gave her a chance to make it with another group. That pissed Michonne off and she said, "yeah, she can just call up 1 -800-find your right group today and be happy happy. You killed her, you son of a bitch, admit it". Rick stomped off but came back later with more reasons why he was right.

Some people though Rick was right, but there were others that wanted Carol and Daryl to be here with them now. They had gotten used to the two of them taking care of things and organizing what needed to be done. Carol was not the rock star that Daryl was, but she was loved by most everybody. She was always in the background making sure that people had food, water, clothing, and shelter. They were willing to give her a chance to explain herself and more than willing to forgive. They just wanted Carol and Daryl to be here.

Michonne thought it would be a good time for them to come back. Even Rick was looking a little more desperate. She had told him about the mega herd that they had run into. If that herd descended on the prison it was done for.

Carol got up after she and Daryl were together and went into the bathroom. She cleaned her face and her body thoroughly and went out to talk to Daryl. He had gotten dressed and was waiting for her on the porch. He said, "Are you sure? " She nodded and helped him pack everything into his vehicle. She was going back today to face Tyreese and Rick and all the others.

Carol and Daryl had decided that they would help the prison if they were allowed to help. Then, they would leave if that is what was decided. Daryl was afraid for her but Carol had made her mind up.

They could smell the burning bodies from miles away. Carl let them in the gates and they could see that the battle to keep the fences intact was being slowly lost. Daryl held her hand as they drove up the hill. Rick met them at the gate with a stormy look on his face. Daryl stood beside her as she faced him. "I am only here until this gets cleared up and then we will leave. You need me now". She saw by the weary resignation on his face that he wasn't going to fight her on this one. He warned, "Tyreese is coming back from taking bodies out to be burned. You will have to deal with him on your own." And he turned and went back inside.

Daryl went to get water while Carol stood guard. They brought the water back up to the prison and saw the truck and trailer coming in. Daryl came to stand beside Carol and took her hand in his.

Michonne saw them before Tyreese and she could tell by his sudden start that he recognized them. Would he be the same crazed man he was on the run or would he be settled down enough to listen to Carol? The woman was pretty damn brave to stand there and wait for him to come to her even if Daryl was by her side. They looked rather sweet standing there she thought.

Tyreese sat in the truck and looked at Carol for a minute before he got out. She looked at him steadily and waited for him to come to her. She turned and spoke to Daryl who was still clutching her hand. Tyreese got out of the truck and Michonne watched him for signs of rage. She couldn't let him hurt Carol for something that she might have done herself.

Carol looked at Daryl again and he dropped her hand and stepped away from her. She smiled at him and he turned away with a despairing look on his face. Carol knew that she had done this and she putting on her big girl panties and facing Tyreese. She tried not to think about the rage on his face when he found the bodies.

Michonne didn't like the look of this. Daryl could not get to Carol fast enough if Tyreese flew into a rage. She was staying put. Carol spoke to Tyreese, "Will you let me talk to you?" Tyreese growled, "What can you tell me that will make any of this any better?" Michonne thought that this was going better than she had thought it would, Carol was still alive and Tyreese hadn't been shot by Daryl.

"Why don't we go into the library so that we can talk?" Michonne said. She let Carol lead and got in the middle of the line. They all sat at the table and Carol and Tyreese both looked at Michonne. She wasn't leaving so they could forget that.

Finally, Carol spoke, "Tyreese, I am so sorry that I hurt you. I know that you hate me and I can't say anything that will ever change that. You ask me what you want to know and I will answer honestly".

Tyreese looked at her and saw that she was pale and trembling. He found his anger dissipating a bit. He had never hit a woman in his life and he wasn't going to hit Carol now. He wanted answers. "Was she suffering? Did you hurt her when you killed her?"

Carol answered, "She was in pain. She was burning up with fever, and struggling to breathe. She was coughing up blood and hemorrhaging from her eyes and other orifices. She touched the knife on my side and please to me. Later, she was in some sort of stupor and slowly drowning in her own blood. I snapped, I couldn't take it anymore and I put the knife into her brain stem. She was dead or close to it before I did it. I left her and went over to see David. He was dying and I did it before he turned. There was no chance for either of them. I am sorry. I decided to burn the bodies to cut down on contamination. I don't even remember doing that."

Tyreese had listened. He might not have believed her before the last two days. That's the way they all died. The ones that still lived never got to the point where they drown in their own blood. They might have fever, coughing, and blood in their phlegm but that group usually got better. The group that quickly descended down the steps and had high fever, coughing, and bleeding from every orifice died every time.

"Do you think that you should be punished?" he asked. Carol nodded, "I will let you decide, Tyreese. Just let me help now. I can cook or bring water, or go on runs. I will stay away from those that are sick. You just tell what needs done and I will do it."

"We need more help with the truly sick and dying. You go in there and work with those that are as sick as Karen and David. Let's see if you can handle dying people if you aren't being the angel of death. Wade ankle deep in blood and gore as your punishment. If you're lucky you won't get it from all that. Why did you come back? I could have hurt you."

"I turned away from my God after my daughter was killed. I let my anger against Him fester inside me. I let it go this morning and I asked for his forgiveness. I don't deserve your forgiveness but I want you to let go of your anger against me for your sake. I felt like when I laid that burden down that I can understand things that I didn't understand before. God took my daughter away and then gave me two girls to love. Lizzie is so mixed up that she thinks that coming back as a zombie is better than just dying. I have faith there is something beyond this life to experience, maybe someday Lizzie will believe that too."

Carol spent the next 24 hours taking care of dying people. She waded through blood and gore with a cool compress and a cleaning rag. She became an angel for the dying. She tried to ease their sufferings in any way she could. She held the dying and prayed that they were going home. She cleaned their bodies and wrapped them in coverings for their burning. The disease seemed to run its course by then. There were no more new cases and at the end of the 24 hours the sick bay was finally empty. Daryl met Carol at the cell block door and walked with her to the shower and they stood under the lukewarm water and washed the grime and gore of this terrible time off of them. He had brought clean clothes from her cell and they got dressed and were ready to leave.

Tyreese met them at the car. He had been working with Carol in the cell block. He had stopped hating her sometime in the 3rd hour when she cleaned the body of a little boy and wrapped him in a blue blanket. He saw the kindness in her face during the 12th hour when they struggled together to control a big man who suddenly went into a seizure from his fever. He forgave her on the 15th hour when one of the children from her story time group died in her arms.

Carol and Daryl saw Tyreese waiting at the car. Carol was too exhausted and drained to react, but Daryl was determined to protect Carol. "Where are you going? Tyreese asked. "It's getting late, maybe you should wait until tomorrow".

Daryl said, "What do you want Tyreese?"

"You don't need to go. If I forgive Carol how can anyone else accuse her?" Tyreese said.

Carol looked at Tyreese and saw that his anger had been washed away by what they had gone through together this last 24 hours. "Can you forgive me?" she asked.

He nodded, "I would be afraid not to forgive you, my sister".

She understood him then, "Thank you, my brother".

"We still need help here; Michonne says that there is a mega herd out there. What can we do if it comes this way?" Tyreese said. "Why don't you just go to your cell and get some rest tonight. We can talk about all of this tomorrow".

Carol looked at Daryl. He nodded and went to grab their bags from the car. They went to Carol's cell and stowed their stuff under the bunk. Carol told Daryl that she wanted just a little time to herself to pray. He took a walk outside and met Rick and Tyreese. Rick seemed genuinely glad that they were staying. Daryl had the odd thought that Rick had thrown Tyreese out just a few months ago. There was a pattern there he thought and knew that someday he might call Tyreese his brother but he wasn't so sure about Rick.

Carol was in bed when he got back. He slid in beside her and asked if the honeymoon was over already. She tried to make a good snoring sound and it came out more of a choking snort and he laughed until he cried. They were both so tired that everything was funny. He rubbed her back and they went gently to sleep and surprisingly their dreams were sweet that night. Carol dreamed that she and Daryl were teaching the girls how to swim in a lake with crystal blue waters. Daryl dreamed that he and Carol were sitting on the porch of a log cabin with a view of distant mountain. Lizzie and Mika were hanging out on the steps and they were all watching the sun sink down on the distant blue mountains.


	4. Mama Bear, Papa Bear

**Expect a little more fluff than the last few chapters. Carol has had a harrowing few days and we all could use a bit of fluff down and then. Don't expect graphic love scenes, but feel free to just add all the details that you want as you read. **

Mama Bear, Papa Bear

Carol woke up early as always and tried to ease herself out of Daryl's arms. "Go back to sleep, you need to rest, "he muttered in her ear and then kissed her neck. Carol found herself becoming more awake instead of less and wanting Daryl to kiss her again. She cuddled closer and realized at least on part of Daryl was wider awake than she was. She pushed back all thoughts of what needed to be dealt with today and kissed Daryl on shoulder. He kissed her back and she found that the honeymoon really wasn't over.

She went back to sleep and Daryl took a few minutes to process what had happened since they got back to the prison. Carol and Tyreese had formed some kind of a bond and he wasn't chasing her around the prison with a hammer. He thought about his dream last night; his dreams usually were not peaceful and happy like that. He wanted that life, Carol by his side and their girls hanging around close. Somehow and someday he was going to have it. Daryl realized that he had always just lived each day as it came and had never planned for a future. He wasn't alone anymore, he had Carol and she had the girls. He was going to find a way to give them all that life because he loved Carol and those girls needed him too. He eased out of bed, got dressed, and went out to see what was going on today.

Carol woke up later when someone set down on the bed beside her. She opened her eyes to see Lizzie grinning down at her. "So have Mama Bear and Papa Bear been hooking up to make little cubbies?"

Carol blushed but started acting like a mother. "Mama Bear has all the cubbies that she needs and don't call Daryl 'Papa Bear'. So are you better or did you break out of quarantine? Let me give you a bear hug, my cubby". She hugged Lizzie and she hugged back.

"I didn't break out; they threw me out because I am better. Mika is still quarantined but she is doing okay. Are you staying here?  
Carol knew that was why Lizzie was here. She was afraid that Carol and Daryl had each other now and there was no place for her and Mika. "I am here now, but if we leave we want both of you to come with us. I love you and Mia. I should have told you that before I went on the run. You also need to know that life out there is dangerous and walkers are not our friends."

Lizzie said, "Life here is dangerous. Are you going to get up now? Everybody is hungry and things have gone to hell in a hand basket since you went off with Daryl".

Carol laughed and got out of bed. She dressed quickly and Lizzie waited for her. Carol saw that Lizzie was looking at the scars left from her past. "It wasn't Daryl", she said to Lizzie and saw the relief on the girl's face.

Lizzie grabbed her hand when they left her cell and they walked toward the courtyard. Daryl was talking to Tyreese and Michonne when they got outside. Lizzie dropped her hand and ran toward Daryl and hugged him hard. Daryl was stunned but the memory of his dream came back and he hugged the girl to him. "Thank you for bringing her back, Papa Bear" Lizzie said. "Any time, girl cub, "he answered. Daryl looked over her head toward Carol and said, "Papa Bear?"

Tyreese looked at Carol and saw that she was smiling at Daryl and Lizzie. He felt the incredible power of forgiveness again. Hate was a terrible burden to bear, and letting it go had brought some measure of peace to him.

In the end, Carol, Daryl, Lizzie, Tyreese, and Michonne made and served breakfast. Carol stood between Lizzie and Tyreese and while not everyone met her eyes they all ate the breakfast. Rick got breakfast and he met her eyes, "You better?" he asked. "Yes", she answered.

Carol and Lizzie worked together that day. There was so much to do and she needed an extra pair of hands. They talked as they worked though and the time went quickly. They ate lunch with Daryl at the covered outside tables and Maggie and Glenn ate with them. It was a simple meal but the unspoken message was that Carol was still their friend.

Glenn asked to speak with her alone, and she sat down beside him after the others left, "Carol, I might have done the same thing; I just wish it had worked. We have lost so many and we can't lose you too. I love you."

Carol felt the tears in her eyes and she let them fall. She wasn't bottling things up anymore. She was a crier and she just was going to have to cry once in a while. "I love you, always have and always will. Dale would be so proud that you have grown into such a good man. I should have gone to Hershel and Dr. S and they would have talked some sense into me."

Glenn thought about how quickly those two good men had died from the disease and wondered if they would have tried to help Carol instead of talking her out of it. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Gotta go find Maggie and get some stuff done".

Carol, Lizzie, and Michonne worked on dinner together. Bob had been checking out the ones that were quarantined and there was no sign of disease. He was releasing them from quarantine after lunch if no one got sick. Carol figured that some people just have a natural immunity. She thought that Bob should leave them there for another day or two but it wasn't her call.

Dinner was a bittersweet affair because when they became one group it became more obvious how many had been lost and how many were still weak from the disease.

Rick deputized a dinner cleanup crew and Carol, Daryl, Lizzie, and Mika had eaten dinner and spent some time together before bedtime. Daryl had first watch, and he asked Carol to come and visit him after the girls had gone to sleep. There was an empty cell close to theirs and Carol and the girls cleaned it and they moved their stuff in. She read them a psalm from the Bible and kissed them goodnight.

Carol went back to their room and cleaned it up some. Daryl stuff and Carol stuff had become their stuff and she thought about organizing it. Going to visit Daryl in the guard tower sounded like a better option somehow.

He was waiting for her when she got there. There were two chairs facing out but he was standing watching the fence line. The walkers seemed to have lost interest and there weren't many out there. "Are you ready for another stone?" he asked.

Carol nodded, and he pulled a chair out for her. She noticed that there was a small string of solar lights along the edge of the flooring. It was very subtle but provided enough light to see by. She sat down and Daryl took the other seat. He pulled something from his shirt pocket but didn't hand it to her. He opened his hand and she could see a diamond ring sitting on the palm of his hand.

He started, "The diamond is the hardest stone of all. Merle and I looted a jewelry store when this all started. Merle traded most of it for drugs right after that, but for some reason I kept this. Guess I wanted to need it someday. I love you, and I haven't told you that before. I said I wanted you or I needed you but that isn't the whole truth; want and need don't always mean love. I love you and I have since the day in the barn when you said that you didn't want to lose me too. That is why I acted like such an asshole. I didn't want to love. I didn't know how to love. No one had ever shown me how to love a woman. This stone is more than me saying I love you; it's me saying I want to always love you and be your husband. Now that is my truth."

Carol put the ring on her palm. The solar lights made it shine in the growing darkness. "I loved you from the day that you showed me the Cherokee rose. I want and need you in my life. You saved my life in all sorts of ways when you came after me, held me, listened to me, and showed me that I was still desirable to you. I love you because something in me resonates when I am with you. I love that you know that Lizzie and Mika come as part of the package and that you will be their Papa Bear. I love that you put me first and I promise to put you first in my life. I want to be your wife, Daryl."

Daryl kissed the ring on her palm and then slowly and carefully slid it on her third finger of her left hand and kissed it there too. "I have a band too, but you don't get that until someone says some words over us."

Carol laughed and kissed him. He pulled her over to his lap and said, "You do know what happens when people do watch together?"

"I have heard stories, but you never invited me before, "she teased.

Daryl had made a bed on the floor and they slid down more or less gracefully. The solar lights added a soft glow to the light. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping watch?" Carol asked.

"Glenn and Maggie are walking the fence line for a while. Papa Bear has it covered."

"I told her to call you 'Daryl' you know," Carol said as Daryl pulled off his pants. "If your Mama Bear then I have to be the Papa Bear" Daryl began unbuttoning her shirt and nuzzling her breasts. The only truth Daryl was interested in now was the one that proved that she wanted, needed, and loved him as the man in her life. That was something that she had wanted to say for a long time.


	5. Insanity

**I hope you like this story. It seems as if TWD just continues to fuel my literary retaliation with their storylines this year. So in the alternate universe in which Carol and Daryl find each other another day begins….**

Insanity

Daryl watched Carol sleep the next morning and admired the flashy diamond on her left hand. It just kinda said "screw you" to the rest of the world; I'm going to enjoy my life as long as it lasts. He was getting used to sleeping in the bunk with Carol but he remembered the bed in the cabin as being a lot more comfortable. He had only tolerated the prison before because he loved the people here, but he now hated it. It should be burned to the ground so that they would have to go somewhere else and start over. He wanted to leave now and take the girls with them.

The girls, Lizzie and Mika called him Papa Bear, and that made him feel funny. Not funny ha-ha, but funny like listening to a song that feels so familiar but you had never heard it before. They were like that diamond ring that he had hidden in his pack for all this time. He had never admitted to himself that he wanted Carol as his wife and he never had admitted that he wanted children. And these were housebroken. It was all good. Somehow, they all clicked together.

Carol was waking up so he sat up so that he could watch her emerge from sleep. He kissed her good morning and wished for a bedroom with a nice lock on it. She handed him a piece of turquoise from a little box on the table beside her bed and said, "Your turn, asshole".

He frowned, "Is that a nice way to start the day? Calling me an asshole, I haven't even gotten out of bed yet." She continued to look at him with a sleepy but steady gaze. He picked up the blue stone and rolled it in his hand, "I am really happy about how well Lizzie and Mika are handling us being together. They should be freaking out to think that I am going to be some sort of father figure to them, but they aren't." He handed the turquoise back to Carol, "Your turn, sweetheart".

Carol held the stone and looked at it for a minute. "The girls want someone to take care of them. They lost their mother and then their father. They need us and I think we need them. Care takers have to have someone to take care of. I have given up trying to take care of the rest of the world. I just want to take care of you, Lizzie, and Mika." She handed the stone back to Daryl.

"I think we are done here. The fences are too stressed. There is a mega herd out there that might come rumbling down the road any day now. The place is contaminated with a deadly disease. The Governor is still alive out there. I trust my instincts on this; there is someplace better for us." Daryl's voice became more definite the longer he talked. "The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result. We have learned how to set up a community here and we can do the same thing somewhere else. Somewhere where it smells better and there aren't as many walkers". He handed her the stone.

Carol looked at him, part of her wanted to cling to this place no matter what came, but she had accepted more than a ring last night. Daryl was her partner and she had thrown her lot in with his. He had good instincts and she had felt that get out while you still can vibe. "I had some family in the mountains of North Carolina, have you ever been there? There are real mountains there and lots of cold weather. Not a whole lot of people live up there so there might not be so many walkers."

Daryl took the stone from her. "Are the mountains blue in the distance when the sun goes down?"

Carol thought about it. She hadn't been up on McAllister Mountain since she was ten. "Yeah, I think so. Have you ever been there?"

Daryl thought about his dream. He and Carol sitting on the porch and the girls sitting on the steps while the sun sank in the west into blue mountains. "I haven't been there but I think I would like to go".

Carol was having a hard time wrapping her mind up around traveling so far, but it felt good to have a destination to go to. A new place to start over sounded good but the trip would be so dangerous she thought. Then, she burst out laughing at the thought of worrying a dangerous trip, she had lived in dangerous places most of her life from Ed's house to this prison. Carol turned to Daryl and gave him a radiant smile, "Let's go home, Daryl."

Daryl went to talk to Rick and get the truck ready. If Rick didn't want to give it up then he would have Michonne take him somewhere to get another truck. He needed room for four inside, four wheel drive, and room to store things that they needed. Trucks didn't get great gas mileage but the high clearance on a big truck would be good on rough roads.

Carol went to wake the girls up and talk to them. She knew that she was engaging in risky behavior again running off to distant mountains but it felt good to run to someplace and not to just run from something all the time. She explained that that she and Daryl wanted them with them but they needed to know that they didn't really know what they might meet on the way or even if they would get there. Lizzie looked at her, "Sounds like a hell of an idea to me", and Carol smiled and said, "That's just about enough with the potty talk. You can talk like Daryl when you are his age and not before." Mika looked scared but she hugged Carol, "I will pack my stuff up and we'll be ready really soon."

Carol went back to their cell and began to pack everything up. She sat down and began a list of what they would need to take. Then, she put the list away and took out the bible that she had brought from the cabin. She read a bit and prayed a bit. Then she got up and finished the packing and went to look for Daryl.

Rick had offered the Suburban. It was big and had plenty of room for storage. Daryl didn't argue; it didn't matter. He was ready to go on bicycles; the uneasiness that he had woken him up was accelerating. He checked over the Sub and began loading some of his weapons that had been stored in the tower. He had been squirreling away supplies for a while. The prison was well stocked especially since so many had died and there were so fewer people to take care of now.

Daryl went to check on Carol and found that she had the girls packed and ready to go. She their stuff organized and packed. They carried all their earthly possessions to the Sub and he went back to the perch and got anything that could be useful.

Carol was saying goodbye to everyone and telling them that they were going to a little town called Adair in the North Carolina mountains to try to find a place to live there. They were welcome to join them if they ever needed a place to go. Michonne hugged Carol goodbye and said that she had always wanted to take a vacation in the mountains. There were those who were looking as if they couldn't wait for them to leave but there were more with tears in their eyes.

Daryl threw the last of his stuff in the Sub and looked anxiously at the fence line. The walkers were pushing against and he could see the strain on the fence. Rick should be on that but he probably was somewhere listening to music instead of taking care of business. Not his worry anymore, he told himself. "Get in the car now," he ordered Carol and the girls. They jumped in and he turned the big vehicle on and warned Michonne, "That fence is gonna go, are you sure that you don't want to go with us". She looked at the fence and he knew that she wanted to get out too. She hesitated but shook her head. He nodded and drove the Sub toward the gates. Rick opened the gate and he waved goodbye". Daryl had to resist the impulse to gun the motor because he saw that there were more walkers headed toward the fence. He needed to get his family out of here and he saw Carol looking at the fence and biting her lip.

He was able to avoid being trapped by the oncoming walkers but he saw the fences move in the rear view mirror. They were a mile away before she said, "I will take the Sub to the cabin and wait for you."

"I said that you come first with me. I meant that, my family needs me. You don't know what might be waiting out there", he said.

"I know that you need to go back and try to save everyone that you can," Carol didn't want him to go back but they couldn't just drive off when there was a chance that Daryl could help. "Please be careful, I don't want to lose you, not when you finally got interesting".

He stopped the vehicle, got his weapons, and got out. "I will be at the cabin by morning. Don't wait past 10:00. There is a clock on the Sub, at 10:00 pull out for the mountains. I love you, but don't wait for me."

He kissed her goodbye and was away before she started crying. Carol was glad of that, but she slid over to take the wheel and drove to the cabin. She checked it out, but it seemed safe. The girls settled down inside and she got some food together.

It was a long day in the cabin and an even longer night. The girls slept on either side of Carol and cuddled close all night long. She knew that she had to find a way to make them safe and staying her with the mega herd moving was not an option.

The next morning Carol gathered their things together and waited until 10:00. She put the girls in the car and drove the car down to the highway. She needed to turn to the right to get to a road that would lead to the mountains. She waited a few minutes and then pulled out toward the left. She drove slowly but the road was empty ahead, still she drove on. She found them about five miles from the cabin. Michonne, Carl, and Daryl carrying Judith. She stopped and jumped out of the car, "Hurry up, I haven't got all day", she called to the exhausted travelers.

Daryl handed Judith to her and got in under the wheel. Lizzie got everybody some water and Michonne who had been carrying the formula made Judith a bottle. Carl, Lizzie, and Mika moved to the last seat. Carol saw that Michonne had been injured and slid over to the second seat to take care of her and help to feed Judith.

Daryl took a big drink of water and a bite of something Carol had handed to him. He glanced back at the road behind him and saw that the walkers that had been pursuing them were now in view. He gave them the finger in the rear view mirror and then gave his full attention to the road ahead. It didn't know what in front of them but Carol had said it best yesterday when she had smiled at him and said, "Let's go home, Daryl".


	6. On the Road Again

**There is nothing like looking at a Carol free episode and knowing that there are two Governor episodes coming up to inspire another chapter of a fanfic. There will be some answers about what happened at the prison but don't expect a chapter devoted to it. This is a Caryl fic and I find that it is running parallel to "The Least I Can Do" and that is just the way it is. I know at some point I will have to say goodbye to one of these stories but haven't decided which one it will be. So enjoy this chapter and as always Caryl on.**

On the Road Again

Carol bandaged Michonne's leg and was glad that Dr. S had insisted on giving Michonne a full range of injections including a DPT one just recently. She remembered it well because she had to help talk Michonne through all her shots; this woman who faced a horde of walkers and innumerable evil men would balk at a needle. The wound needed to be stitched up, but Carol didn't have the heart to do in a moving vehicle with all those eyes staring at Michonne. The woman had an image to uphold and some secrets are better kept secret.

Carol checked Carl; he was showing signs of dehydration and she asked Lizzie to make certain that he continued to take in water. Lizzie nodded and gave Carl a stern look and a prod to drink some more water. Carol handed him some of her homemade protein bars; she had made them the evening before this all started and had packed them up to take on runs. Carl looked ready to drop but he thank her and bit into the bar.

Judith seemed tired and a little cranky, but there were several empty bottles and it looked as if they had been feeding her as they traveled. She went to sleep in Michonne's arms and Carol left them together after insisting that Michonne eat and drink something. Carol said, "When we stop, I am going to have to sew up that leg." Michonne was too tired to protest and nodded.

Carol went back up front to check on Daryl. She had seen the mass of walkers following them and knew that it had been a close call. Daryl looked at her and growled, "Told you to leave at 10:00."

Carol leaned over to kiss his cheek, "I did leave at 10:00. You can order me around all you want, but don't expect that I will always follow your orders. Now, my orders are for you to drive far enough to feel safe from that herd and let me work on Michonne's leg. I need to check all of you out before we go any farther."

Daryl turned and grinned at her, "You wanta check me out? Can't you just wait until we get someplace private? Damn, woman, we got serious things to do and you wanta fool around."

Carol flushed a little, and laughed, "Dixon, you look like you are ready to collapse, I don't see a whole lot of fooling around in your immediate future." Carol heard Michonne laugh from the second seat and hoped that the sound had not carried to the last seat. She could hear Lizzie bossing Carl around so probably not.

Daryl was dog tired, but he had known that they couldn't make the 10:00 deadline since daylight. They had been walking and running since yesterday. They had to take an alternate route to the cabin and he had been terrified that the herd would get there before Carol and the girls got away. He would remember for the rest of his life what it had felt like to see that Sub head toward them a little while ago. Sheer and complete exultation had filled him; they had wrested another win from the walkers. He drove for another hour because he just wanted to increase the distance between them and the walkers. The swarming behavior that he had witnessed on his last run had warned him that the walkers were becoming even more dangerous.

Daryl found a farmhouse sitting back from the road and he pulled off and checked out the house with Carol. The house was empty but he had found the remains of some put down walkers in the back yard. He pulled the Sub in and watched over the girls and Carl as they waited for Carol to sew up Michonne's leg.

Carol had Michonne to lie down on the porch while she threaded the needle and waited for the lidocaine to take effect. She then quickly and efficiently flushed out the wound with a saline solution, applied an antibiotic, and sewed the wound back together. She wrapped the wound to keep it clean and went to check on the others. Daryl, Michonne, and Carol conferred over the map and finally chose a route around all big towns and cities. Daryl found some gasoline in the garage and added that to the vehicle. He knew that he would have to find more fuel before they hit the mountains because there might not be much fuel up there.

Carol asked, "What happened at the prison"? She had waited until now to ask because she didn't want to upset the children.

Daryl sighed, "The fences were down by the time I got back, a big herd was coming in and I could see that there were coming along the roadway. I went around to the side and climbed a fence and got in that way. It was chaos inside and I found Carl with Judith. He had run to her and gathered her stuff. We found Michonne, Hershel, Glenn, Maggie, and Beth. We started out through the tombs. We got out of the prison through the back. Maggie was helping Glenn but he is still really weak. Beth was helping Hershel. I told them that they were welcome to come with us to Adair and we were moving along pretty well until we ran into a herd of walkers. Then, we got separated. "

Michonne said, "Even with Judith we were faster than they were and we tried to draw the walkers after us. Carl carried Judith and the bags and we were able to kill them all and when we got back we couldn't find them. I think they just took off and got lost. We couldn't wait too many walkers around. We had to detour around walkers all day and all night long. We finally got on the right road this morning but we had walkers right behind us."

Carol was going with the half full glass the way Glenn always did, "So they could be on their way to Adair right now."

Daryl hoped that was true, "They were alive and fighting when we saw them last. I didn't see Rick, Michonne said that he had come back up the hill after he let us out. She had told him that she was trying for Adair after the fence went down. She and the others joined us on the way to the tombs. Rick might be alive we just don't know".

Carol said, "We need to get to started and get as many miles in as we can. My family lived out of town up on McAllister Mountain. My true name in Carol Ann McAllister and if there are any McAllisters left up there they will help us.

Daryl thought that seemed like a slim thread to cling to, but Carol wanted to go there and it seemed as good a place to lay your hopes on as any place he had ever been. Michonne just wanted to go someplace new. Georgia was filled with too many unhappy memories. The rest of that day and most of the next was spent driving, scavenging, and surviving, but slowly they traveled from Georgia to the mountains of North Carolina.

Daryl noticed that it seemed more like spring up in the mountains and less like summer. The air was noticeably cooler and it felt good to him. They had lost some time this morning looking for fuel but had hit pay dirt and found enough gasoline to get there with a full tank.

Daryl saw the roadblock but saw no other option but to keep going. There were only two guys manning the concrete barrier and they looked more bored than bad ass. Carol told him to stop the vehicle and she would go up and talk to them. He got out anyway and they walked the fifty yards to the barrier.

"Sojourner, what business do you have in these mountains?" one of the men called.

Carol answered, "I am Carol Ann McAllister, my grandparents were James and Nancy McAllister, my father was Michael. My cousins are Ashton, Patrick, and Emily McAllister. I have another cousin named Jesse Graham. I have come home to McAllister Mountain. "

"Did you say Ashton is your cousin?" the taller man said lowering his weapon. "Let me call him on the radio." They waited less than five minutes when a jeep kept tearing up and a skinny, silver hair man jumped out and ran to Carol. He hugged tight and said, "It's about time you got here, Carol".

Ashton took one look at the Sub and laughed, "Grandma always said that when you finally would get here you would bring a bunch with you".

Ashton led them up a curvy mountain road and Daryl could see that the mountain was far bigger than he had thought. There were farms and houses on both sides of the road and still they continued upward. Ashton parked in front of a large log cabin with a secure fence around it. There were two other cabins in the compound with all of the buildings facing the circular driveway. Ashton walked back and said, "I need to go into my house and get the keys to Grandma's house that is going to be your house. Do you want to come in and meet my wife and children?"

Carol took one look at the occupants in the cars and said, "The children have been cooped up in the car all day. We need some time before we should be in polite company." Ashton laughed and went in the house. He came back in a couple of minutes with a set of keys and handed Carol the keys. "The house is yours. Grandma left it to you in her will. The house and her farm and everything inside belong to you. I'll walk over in a little while to show you around. My wife is making dinner so don't worry about that. Just go on home now, Carol."

Daryl followed the road up a gentle slope and saw that they were close to the top of the hill and he saw another large log house and large barn enclosed in a solid looking fence. They parked at the gate and Daryl found the key to the gate and they drove in on a gravel roadway and parked beside the house. Daryl saw that the house faced west and there was a long porch than ran the length of the house. He guessed he was home now.

The downstairs of the house had a large great room and a kitchen and dining area. There was a powder room, laundry area, and at the back of the house a master bedroom with an adjoining bath. Carol could tell that the house had been remodeled since she was here as a child; she wondered who had been doing all the work.

The upstairs had four bedrooms and two baths. It was dusty and but the house was furnished with linens, dishes, pans, glasses, and silverware. It looked as if it had just been sitting there waiting for them to come up the hill and make it their home.

Michonne had deposited her few possessions in one of the bedrooms and then went outside to stretch. Her leg was a little sore but it felt good to be out moving around. She had her katana with her and she noticed that the barn door was standing open. She hadn't remembered the door being open when she had come in. She moved cautiously to the barn and saw that there were two horses in the stalls. One was a black Arabian mare and the other was chestnut gelding. She ran to the black mare and rubbed her shiny head.

"Her name in Latifa, and she can be quite a handful," a man's voice coming way too close to her had her whirling around with her katana at the attack position. She saw a man move back quickly while raising his hands to show that he didn't have any weapons. He was staring at her so she took a few seconds to study him. He wasn't young, maybe forty she thought. His golden brown skin spoke of a mixed racial heritage and he had startlingly beautiful blue eyes. He was a little less than six feet with a sinewy build. He moved like a panther, quick and graceful. He was maybe the most beautiful man she had ever seen. Damn, life in the mountains just got a little more interesting.

"Hello, my name is Jesse Graham and Ashton has been letting me keep my horses here while I finish my barn. " He held out his hand for her to shake and she found that his hand was tough and calloused. He might be beautiful but his hands said that he knew how to work.

"That's a handsome weapon you have there. And you look as if you know how to use it. Maybe we could work out together sometime." He smiled engagingly and Michonne found her voice. "Do you live around here?'

"I live next door really. You just take the road off the left and my farm is there. Patrick and I were in California when this all hit and he started back here and I helped a friend to get back to his family in Nebraska. I just got back here about six weeks ago".

Michonne helped him finish taking care of the horses and they walked back toward the house. Carol had come out to the porch to check on her and Jesse moved quickly toward her, "Carol Ann, its good the see you. We have been waiting for you." He hugged her affectionately and Daryl who was coming out of the house stopped and frowned. Carol smiled at Jesse. She hadn't seen him since he was a little boy. She had loved him so much that she told everyone that he was her "little brother".

Jesse met the rest of the family and explained that he had come over to take care of his horses. The girls and Carl wanted to go visit the horses and Michonne volunteered to take them to visit if Jesse didn't mind.

Daryl talked to Jesse while the others checked out the horses. Daryl was curious to find out how the people here had managed to survive the walkers. Jesse hadn't been here but he said that the men and women had organized a strong defense of their communities. The McAllister Mountain Brigade had been at war with walkers ever since that first day. They had fenced in their houses and every man woman and child in the community was expected to be able to defend themselves. They had joined other groups and cleaned out walkers in Adair and other communities. There were occasional threats when a sudden death started a new wave but they had been to maintain a stable community.

Jesse showed Daryl how to turn on the electricity. There were solar panels installed on the roof and in an array in the side yard. The house was heated and cooled by geothermal energy. The other girl cousin, Ashton's sister Emily had ran a company that built "green houses". Grandma Nancy had Emily rebuild this house five years ago before she died. Daryl asked, "I thought she died when Carol was a little girl."

Jesse said, "Carol's mother took her and just sort of disappeared. Grandma looked for her for years."

Ashton and his wife showed up with dinner and Jesse was convinced to stay. It was a happy occasion as Ashton and Carol sat beside each other and talked the whole time. Ashton and his wife Jo left right after dinner. Jesse went home too, though he had talked Michonne into riding with him in the morning.

Carol and Daryl did the dishes while Michonne bathed Judith. Everybody finally got a shower. Michonne drifted upstairs with Judith. Carol checked on the girls and they looked over some books they had found downstairs. Daryl hung out with Carl on the porch; the boy was worried about his father. Daryl reminded that Rick had gotten out of other dangerous spots before. He knew where they were going and if he could he would show up for his children. Carl went upstairs.

Daryl took a walk around the yard. It was well lit from solar lights. The gates were locked and everything was clear. He checked all the door and windows on the bottom floor. The house was a fortress. He wandered back to their room to see Carol already in bed. She smiled at him but she seemed sad. Daryl brushed his teeth in the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. Was he man enough to take care of this family? And then he laughed, he was with Carol and Michonne. Together, they could handle anything.

He was still smiling when he slid in beside Carol. He put his arms around and said, "What's wrong?" She looked at him and said, "I don't deserve this after what I have done. My family still thinks I am little Carol Ann; they don't have any idea what I am capable of doing."

Daryl sighed; sex wasn't going to happen for a while. "Carol, does Judith deserve to die? Or Lizzie? Or Mika?. No, they are going to live because you did, because you are going to take care of them." She was crying now but she had explained to him that she was a crier and he would have to live with it. No more bottling up.

Carol sniffled and he used the sheet to dry her tears. "I am scared that all this will be taken away if they find out what I have done".

Daryl hugged her closer, "I was just freaking out in the bathroom worrying that I couldn't handle all this responsibility. Then, it came to me, I am not supposed to have every right answer. There is Michonne, there's you, and there is me. Together we can handle this; they do love little Carol Ann, but they will love Carol just as much. These are tough people; they made the right call when the shit hit the fan. They grouped together and fought off the walkers. They stood their ground and pushed them back. You come from tough stock, sweetheart.

Carol smiled, "I don't deserve you, but I am glad that you are here with me. So what do you think about Jesse?"

Daryl snorted, "I think Jesse wants to get into the ninja's pants. The man was pathetic; he has it bad for her."

Carol beamed, "I think so too. Michonne is hard to read but I think she likes him. She kept giving him that enigmatic look like she doesn't care if he in on the planet".

Daryl shook his head, "The poor man is showing all his cards and she just goes all ice queen and you think she likes him?"

Carol said, "He is drop dead gorgeous, he is as much as a warrior as she is, he loves horses, and he is available. Of course, she likes him; I just think that he will have his work cut out for him to break through all those layers she has built around her."

Daryl looked at his Carol and said," Yeah, he will. It's always worth it when you find your other half".

She looked at him, "No more talk about Jesse, right?"

Daryl turned off the lamp, "Just you and me in this bed tonight. Right here, and right now".


	7. First Morning

First Morning

Carol and Daryl made pancakes for breakfast the next morning and weren't all surprised that Jesse showed up in time to eat before he and Michonne took the horses for a run. It seemed natural for him to be sitting with them and talking about the upcoming "Highland Games". Jesse said that the town had been sponsoring the Games for years to draw in tourists. Then, of course that first summer everyone was concentrating on staying alive but last summer they had the Games again and it was scheduled for about a month from now.

Jesse described the games as a celebration of clan loyalty. Each clan gathered together in its own community and marched to Adair while someone played the bagpipes and drums. The McAllister Clan started here at this house and Ashton played the pipes while his son played the pipes. The clans marched to Adair and assembled in their own area. They competed in games of strength and agility and then toward the late afternoon they reassembled as a clan and marched back home to the accompaniment of the pipes and drums.

Patrick had made it home last year in time for the Games and had told Jesse that standing there and listening to the sound of bagpipes ringing off mountains made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. Carol felt it just listening to Jesse talk about it second hand.

Michonne asked, "What if you don't belong to a clan? Just saying the word clan makes a Southern Black woman a little nervous."

Jesse smiled, "You belong to the clan if you live within the community. Survivors have been drifting into these mountains for a while now and some of them don't look any more Scotch-Irish than I do. Anyone who is willing to take up the sword to defend the clan is a member of the clan. Now, are you ready to take a ride, my fair lassie"?

Michonne nodded and got up to go, "Don't call me lassie, that poor dog had to spend his days rescuing dumb asses out of the well."

The children all trooped out after them wanting to see the horses again this morning. Carol and Daryl stood on the porch and waved them off. Daryl pretended to be giving Jesse advice, "Jesse, behave yourself or she'll hand you your ass on a platter." Carol laughed and they sat on the porch and planned their morning. Daryl was going to work on a wood burning water heater. It was used when you needed a lot of hot water. Carol was going to wash the dust out of sheets and blankets this morning.

Daryl and Carl were going to talk to Ashton about getting a garden plowed. Spring came later her and there was still time to raise a garden this year. They would be busy this morning. Daryl kissed her and whispered, "I loved First Morning".

Carol blushed a little and thought about that morning. She had woken up wrapped in Daryl's arms and he had kissed her and, "This is our first morning together in our home. Our lives together started last night, but this is our first morning. Good morning, sweetheart."

Carol had said, "Better make it a really good morning then", and slid over and straddled him. He sat up then and kissed her hungrily. It wasn't sweet and comforting love making, but it was a very good morning for both of them.

Michonne and Jesse rode the horses toward his farm. The mists were rising from distant mountains and the sun was beginning to shine through. They let the horses run a bit and Jesse pointed out his house. It was a large log house with a steel storage building behind it. His barn was close to being finished and she could see a garden spot was already planted.

They rode on by though and by a couple of empty farms and then they turned and let the horses walk back. They stopped at his house and gave the horses some water while he showed her the place. It had belonged to his mother and father. His mother had been the only McAllister daughter and she had fallen in love with Jesse's dad when he had spent some time here with his army buddy Patrick. They got married and she followed him around the world as a wife of an army officer. Jesse was their only child and he was raised as an army brat traveling from base to base. His dad retired and together his parents built this house in the mountains thinking that they would live an long and happy life here. They had been in Charlotte when it happened and had called Emily to warn her to get out. Then his mother had called Ashton and told them to get people ready to fight. His mother had told Ashton that it was kill or be killed and to aim for the head. Then, the line went dead.

Jesse explained that he and his cousin Patrick (Jr) had started back and spent the winter in a cabin they found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Patrick had a wife and three children and they all made it. Then in the spring they traveled through the Rockies and Patrick and his family had headed toward North Carolina. He had traveled with a man he had met on the way to Nebraska to check on his son who lived there. His ex-wife and her husband had a farm there and had banded with other fighters there to push the walkers out. Jesse had lived on a farm close by to help protect his son. The boy had died last winter of pneumonia and he waited until spring and then came back to live on this farm.

Michonne listened to Jesse's story and thought that everyone seemed to need to talk about where they were and what had happened to them. She wasn't going to talk about what happened to her right now. She liked riding with Jesse, she thought that he was attractive and interesting, but he made her nervous. He wanted her and he didn't try to hide it. She had lived as a self-sufficient woman too long and she didn't know if there was room in her world for anything past revenge on the Governor. Jesse would just be a complication.

They rode the horses back and tended to them. Jesse went off to find Daryl to see if he needed any help and she went to find Carol. It was definitely laundry day and Michonne joined in to help. She liked being busy; there were things that didn't want to think about.

Ashton was talking to Daryl when Jesse found him. Ashton was saying that he could use his tractor to plow out a garden and they had plenty of seeds left from last year's garden. Daryl said, "We have some others coming here and we need to grow all the food we can. So it needs to be a big garden". Ashton nodded, "The more you can raise the better. You can always barter food for other things you need".

Daryl asked, "Does anyone go for runs to get things they need?"

Jesse added, "There are good sized towns on the main highway coming in just a couple of hours from here."

Ashton said, "Not too many try. Some didn't make it back".

Jesse wanted fencing to put around his place and all that was around here was being used. "I would like to make a run for fencing and other supplies. What about you, Daryl?"

Daryl knew that his family was going to need things that weren't here. He wasn't particularly afraid of going on a run but he had Carol and the kids to think about now. "I need to look at what we need before I decide and talk to Carol about it. Get back to me."

Carol was happy. Their days were filled with work from sunup to sundown. The house they lived in was large and comfortable. There was food stored in the basement and their garden was all planted and growing. Judith was flourishing and the other children were sleeping and eating well. Carl spent most of his day with Daryl and the girls were with her. Jesse was the children how to ride and he would come by every evening to sit on the porch with them. The adults would sit on the porch and drink ice tea and talk. The children would be hanging out around the steps or in the barn with the horses. Sometimes she and Daryl would take an evening walk with the children and leave Michonne on porch with Jesse.

This evening Jesse had shown up with Patrick to discuss the Highland Games now less than two weeks away. Patrick explained that he was the war captain for the games. It was his duty to organize the clan for the coming games. Patrick explained that there were all sorts of "contests" within their games. Since the clans stressed that every man, woman, and child should be capable of defense there were contest based on sex and age. Patrick handed out the list of contests so that they could examine them.

Patrick was a happy man; the McAllisters had been beaten last year by the McCulloughs. This year he had Jesse, Daryl, and Michonne to add to the McAllister team. Jesse was excited about the mixed sword competition. Each clan would have a man and woman sword fighting team and Jesse wanted Michonne to compete with him. Michonne agreed mostly because he looked so hopeful when he asked. They could also compete in the single contest.

Carol looked at the list of contest. Lizzie was a really fast runner and Carl had been practicing archery with Daryl. So maybe they should sign up. She passed the paper over to Daryl who looked it over very carefully.

Carol sent the kids in to get ready for bed. She took Judith with her to her room. There was a portable crib in her bedroom and a one upstairs in Michonne's room. Daryl followed Carol in leaving Jesse and Michonne on the porch.

"I saw that gleam in your eye at the thought of trouncing the troublesome McCulloughs, my lassie," Jesse teased.

"Don't call me Lassie and I don't know any McCulloughs," Michonne protested. She had enjoyed competition when she was moving through the ranks in martial arts training and the games sounded like fun. It was probably a bad idea to compete with Jesse. The more she was around Jesse the more she wanted to be around Jesse. She was content to stay on the mountain and hang out with Carol and Daryl, but the happiest parts of her day were those she spent with Jesse. It felt dangerously close to love, but it wasn't that she told herself sternly.

Jesse moved closer to her on the swing and put his arm around her. Michonne turned and looked at him, "You know that I am a master level katana champion, don't you?" Jesse looked at the beautiful woman beside him and said, "Don't kill me until after the Highland Games, it would break Paddy's heart." She laughed and he made his move. He kissed her sweetly but firmly and Michonne wanted to kiss him back, but she pushed him away instead, "Go home, laddie, and be careful on your way."

Jesse said, "Better come out with me and make sure that the gates are locked."

Michonne knew that this was an obvious ruse since he could lock them on the way out but she followed him out to the gate and he kissed her again. "I take my leave in this darkening twilight and I think of you all the way home, my bonnie lassie".

"Best watch around you in the darkening twilight, Jesse. I don't have time to find another partner and those troublesome McColloughs must be trounced." He laughed and she was undone by the happiness in his laugh. Being around Jesse made her lighthearted and carefree and she kissed him goodnight and then shut the gate and locked it. Jesse waited until she was in the house and then he walked home watchfully.

Carol had checked on the girls and Carl. The girls were almost asleep and she kissed them goodnight. Carl was still up and they talked a bit about the archery contest. He was excited about it. She saw that he had his photograph of Rick, Lori and him on his dresser. She wished him good night and went back downstairs to Daryl. She passed Michonne on the way down and wasn't surprised to see her smiling. Jesse had that effect on her.

Daryl was checking all the doors and windows when she got downstairs. It was an evening ritual with him and if he got to bed and thought that he had missed one, he would get up and go check it before he went to sleep.

Carol got ready for bed and saw that the list of games was on Daryl's side of the bed. He came back in and slid into bed picking up the paper. "Did you see this one?" he asked pointing to a contest. She moved closer to the paper and looked at what he was pointing out. It was the archery contest for women over forty. "I can't do that; I don't think I am strong enough," she protested.

"We need to find you, Carl, and the girls lighter bows and we can all practice at the same time, You are strong enough and having another weapon in our arsenal would be good too." Daryl said.

Carol went over and kissed Judith goodnight. Daryl came over and kissed Judith good night too. He whispered, "Let's go to bed". Carol smiled at him and nodded. This good day had turned into a good night. The children were well and probably asleep. Michonne was walking around with a smile on her face. Judith was close by and now she could just be the Carol that loved the man that checked the doors and windows every night to make sure that they were all safe. She could concentrate on how much she loved him and how good it felt to be with a man who cherished her. Daryl wasn't always good with words but he was very good at expressing himself with his body. It was going to be a good night followed by a happy tomorrow.


	8. Power of Forgiveness

**I hope you all love Jesse as much as I love writing him. Jesschonne rocks don't you think? I really appreciate your reviews and hope that you let me know what you like and don't like. **

**Disclaimer: TWD owns these characters and the only reward that I get is a review.**

The Power of Forgiveness

The next day dawned bright and clear and Jesse showed up in time for breakfast with two dozen eggs and some chickens. He and Daryl had built a chicken house and yard yesterday and Jesse had donated some of his chickens because he had more eggs than he could use.

Jesse and Daryl were going on a run today to get fencing. Daryl had mentioned that he and Jesse had talked about going but that had been over a week ago. This morning he had told her that they were going today and to make a list of things that they needed that he might find. Carol didn't want him to go, but knew Daryl was Daryl. He risked himself to look for Sophia, do runs for the group, and he had thrown his whole heart and soul into rescuing her after her banishment. That Daryl was going on the run today. Michonne decided that she wanted to go, declaring that this run needed a woman's touch.

Daryl had taken Carl aside to tell him to keep a lookout for the "womenfolk" and Carol caught Lizzie and Mia roll their eyes. She had to turn away to hide her own grin. Daryl promised to look for some bows if he could find a hunting store that had anything left. Then they were off and she and the girls cleaned up the dishes. The girls went off to take care of the horses and Carl took a seat on the porch with Judith. He was good with her and her eyes would light up when she saw him.

Carol did work that needed to be done in the house and then went to check on Judith. She was clean because Carl was scrupulous in diaper changing. He never handed her over to someone else; Judith was his sister and his responsibility. He did hand her over to Carol for a nap and was going to check out what the girls were doing when they heard the sound of a car engine. Carl grabbed his gun but then relaxed when Ashton's jeep pulled into the driveway.

Carl ran to open the gate and let him in. Carol had seen the passengers with him and stood transfixed on the porch for a bit. Then she shook herself and hurried to the passenger side. Tyreese opened the door and helped Sasha out. She looked exhausted and Carol told Tyreese to carry her inside. Ashton followed them in and Carol directed Tyreese to the master bedroom in the back. He laid her down on the big bed and Carol began asking questions. Sasha had survived the flu but it looked like she was suffering from dehydration, exhaustion, and maybe pneumonia. She needed to be in the hospital in Adair but it was overwhelmed with flu. The virus had struck here weeks before it had the prison, but there were still people there recovering from the flu. Carol set up an IV for fluids, and checked her lungs. There was congestion but it wasn't pneumonia Dr. S had taught her a lot about how to care for people and wished that he was here now. He had worked for Doctors Without Borders for a few years after medical school. He had showed her how to make homemade IVs for dehydration. He had laughed and said that being a doctor in third world nations had gotten him ready for doctoring after the ZA.

She shooed the men out and got a basin of warm water and washed Sasha thoroughly. It would make Sasha feel better and then she changed her into some clean clothes. She heated up some broth and fed her. Sasha was too tired to want to eat but Carol got enough down her to help.

Tyreese had come back in and was sitting on the chair by Sasha's bed. He looked more exhausted than she did because she had fallen asleep and looked peaceful. Tyreese had picked up Carol's found bible and was leafing through it. There were other bibles in this house but Carol had clung to the one she had found in the cabin back in Georgia.

"Tyreese, you need a shower and some clean clothes. You have lost so much weight that I think I can find something to fit. Just watch Sasha and I will go fix you something to eat and you can clean up". Carol bustled away and Tyreese took a few minutes to look at this room. It must be Carol and Daryl's room and Daryl's side of the bed had a stack of field guides to plants, rocks, and animals. Carol's had the bible and some books on medicines made from plants.

Carol came back in with a tray of food and Tyreese ate it gladly. Carol found some baggy sweatpants of Daryl, a tshirt, and some underwear that probably wasn't going to fit. She took the tray away and showed him the shower. She had had Carl to fire up the wood water heater when they first got there so there was plenty of hot water for his shower. Tyreese enjoyed the first really hot shower he had had in over a year. He took the shower time to thank his Maker for bringing them here and to pray that he never forgot the power of forgiveness. When Tyreese got out of the shower he saw that Carol had gathered up their dirty clothes and had taken them somewhere.

Carol checked on Judith. The girls and Carl were taking care of her and she told them that Sasha was exhausted from traveling and from the flu. Carl brought the crib down from Michonne's room and Judith went to sleep in the great room.

Carol went back to check on Tyreese. The shirt and pants fit well enough and his clothes were in the washer now. He still looked tired and she urged him to rest upstairs or on the couches in the living room. Tyreese asked about the crib and Carol told him that Judith either slept her or in Michonne's room. He said that he would go out on the couches and rest. The girls took Judith upstairs and Carl took watch outside.

Sasha woke up to see Carol sitting in the chair beside of her. "Where am I?" she managed to croak out and Carol gave her a sip of homemade ginger ale with some ice. It tasted so good that Sasha wanted more and Carol let her have just a little. Sasha fell back on the pillow exhausted.

Carol held her hand and explained where she was and that Ty was just outside sleeping. Sasha murmured, "Let him rest; he hasn't really slept in weeks." Carol got her to eat some more broth, and laughed when Sasha said," Did I get here in time for spaghetti Wednesday?" Carol had laughed and promised her spaghetti every Wednesday from now on, and gave her some more ginger ale.

Tyreese would wake up and check on Sasha and always found Carol watching over her and tending to her. Then, he would walk back to his couch and go back to sleep. Carol fixed sandwiches for everyone at lunchtime and he ate with the children. They were clean and obviously well cared for. They wanted him to go check on the horses with them and he did. This was a good place, protected by fences and well kept. Ty realized how tired he was on that walk and he went back inside to check on Sasha and to catch up on some sleep.

Sasha was asleep, but she didn't feel hot. Carol said, "I think she will be alright if she eats and drinks enough to gain her strength back. Don't worry Tyreese; you and Sasha are home now. She's a fighter for sure."

Tyreese went back to the couch and went back to sleep. He didn't hear the Daryl and Michonne return. They had unloaded the fencing supplies at Jesse's and brought their stuff back. The kids were full of the news about Tyreese and Sasha so Daryl wasn't surprised to find a sleeping Tyreese on the couch. Daryl said, "Who is that sleeping on our couch?" and Michonne answered, "It sure as hell isn't Goldilocks".

Carol came out from the master bedroom and hugged Daryl and Michonne, "Sasha is back in our room. She is just worn out and needs to rest. I am monitoring her for pneumonia but she seems more alert for this afternoon. Ty is just tired."

Michonne went on back to see about Sasha. She was awake and smiled when she saw Michonne. "Now just rest and let Carol take care of you, she's good at that", Michonne leaned over and kissed Sasha's forehead, "Welcome to the McAllister Clan and get well because we have the Games coming up".

Tyreese found his clean clothes on the couch and went into the powder room to change. Sasha was awake when he went in to see her and he was glad to see that she seemed stronger and more alert. He sat with Sasha and told her about this place. She listened for a while and then drifted off with a slight smile on her face.

Later that evening, after a spaghetti dinner and the kitchen was clean, the group gathered on the porch to enjoy the sunset. Sasha slept through it, but Tyreese enjoyed it. He saw right off that Jesse and Michonne were more than friends and he was happy for her and thought that Jesse was a lucky man. Daryl and Carol maintained that aura of casual affection and just occasionally let the guard slip and show the depth of their mutual love. Oddly enough, it didn't make him feel left out. They had enough love between them to have enough left over to share with the other people in their home. Sasha was well and they had a safe home here. They had this because he had forgiven Carol; forgiveness is a gift that blesses the one who forgives more than the one that is forgiven. He prayed that the others found their way here soon. He watched the sun go down on the distant blue mountain and was glad to be home.

**I hope you like this story. Caryl on.**


	9. Get On Home

**Tyreese and Sasha are the first two of the prison group to find their way to McAllister Mountain. They went because they needed a home. Robert Frost wrote this in one of his poems.**

""_**Home is the place where, when you have to go there, **_

_**They have to take you in."**_

**Carol and Daryl are building a home together and they will take the others in. **

Get On Home

Sasha was still asleep when they went back inside the house. Tyreese watched as Carol checked for fever and for congestion. Sasha woke up and Carol was able to make a complete check. Sasha was more alert and was able to drink some broth and more ginger ale. She wanted a shower and Carol promised that she would help her take one tomorrow. Then, Carol went on out and left her with Tyreese.

Sasha smiled at her brother, and said "Thank you for not leaving me when I begged you to". Tyreese held her hand and promised, "I will never leave you behind, and you are all the family I have left, so you are stuck with me". Tyreese thought about the nightmare of the last two weeks. Sasha was so ill when he got her out of the prison that she couldn't walk. He had carried her for miles until he found a vehicle that would run. They had searched for a safe place for two weeks always trying to stay ahead of the herds. Finally, two days ago he had hit the wall. Sasha was not getting stronger and he needed to find a place to stay for more than one day.

Tyreese remembered growing up in a close knit community in which all the adults bossed the neighborhood kids around. The kids liked to play until dark in the summertime and sooner or later one of the adults would call out, "It is almost dark. Get on home, now." Then, all the kids would take off to their homes and the adults would stand on their porches and make sure that everyone got home safe. It was time to get on home now and he didn't know where to go. He prayed for guidance and had the sudden memory of Carol and Daryl leaving and telling them to come to Adair, North Carolina. He had picked up an atlas that day in a convenience store when he scavenged for supplies. Tyreese looked up Adair and saw that he had been moving closer to the town in every move he had made since he left the prison. Tyreese took that as a sign of something and went out and scavenged for gasoline.

The next day he helped Sasha to their car and started off. They had to backtrack around some bigger towns and spent a night in a barn. The car broke down before he got to the town and he had carried Sasha for a mile or so before they saw a roadblock in the distance. A jeep left the roadblock and drove toward them. Tyreese just waited; he knew he didn't have the strength for anything else. A blond haired man got out of the jeep and took Sasha out of his arms, "We're looking for Carol and Daryl; they left Georgia two weeks ago for this place," Tyreese said. The man smiled and his blue eyes lit up, "That would be by my Cousin Carol and she has asked up to lookout for her friends. You can go to the hospital or I can take you on up the hill to Carol's house."

Tyreese said," I think we would rather just go on up the hill. My name is Tyreese and that is my sister Sasha".

The young man waited until Tyreese had sat down in the jeep and then he carefully put Sasha back in Tyreese's arms. "My name is Joshua McAllister, welcome to McAllister Mountain". He shook Tyreese's hand and in a matter of minutes Tyreese and Sasha were going through a gate toward a large log house.

Tyreese heard a knock at the open door and he saw Daryl standing there. "I would just like to see how Sasha is doing, if it is alright," he said. Sasha nodded to Tyreese and he motioned Daryl in. Daryl came in and Tyreese gave him the seat by the bed. Daryl sat down and looked at Sasha. "You gonna be ready to go on a run tomorrow?" he asked. Sasha laughed and answered, "Sounds like a plan". Daryl picked up her hand rather awkwardly but his face was sincere. "This is a good place to live, you can have a good life here, and you'll always have a home here with us." Sasha squeezed his hand and Daryl got up and left.

Tyreese and Sasha talked for a little while and Carol came back in to see if Sasha wanted anything. Sasha wanted to go to the bathroom and Tyreese took that as a cue to go talk to Daryl. Soon Sasha was settled back in bed and having downing more liquids. The children came in to say goodnight and Carol left with them. Sasha lay in the big bed and could hear the sounds of a family getting ready for bed. She could hear water running, commodes flushing, and doors shutting. Tyreese and Daryl were talking and she could hear Michonne and another man talking. Strangely enough it made her feel a part of everything to just listen and know that she had a place in this family.

Carol checked with her once again before going to bed. Sasha apologized for taking her room but Carol just smiled and said that she would take it back when Sasha was well enough to move upstairs. Until then she and Daryl would sleep upstairs. Tyreese was going to sleep on the couch so that he could be close if she needed anything.

Carol moved into the empty room upstairs. The bed was fine but not quite as big and the one in their bedroom. She checked on the girls and Carl. Michonne had sent Jesse home and Judith was in her room. Carol heard Daryl coming up the wooden stairs. He always walked quietly; it must be some hunter thing she thought. Daryl smiled at her and handed her a large ruby. "Found this today on a display case. I guess they mined for those not too far from here."

Carol looked at the ruby in the light. "I missed you today. I know that you can take care of yourself but these last few weeks I have gotten so used to having you close all the time. I wanted you here when Tyreese and Sasha showed up. She looked wiped out and Ty looked more tired than she did." She handed Daryl the ruby.

He sat down on the bed beside her. "I missed you too, especially since I had Jesse and Michonne all day. I am ready to lock those two in his house until they just get it over with and Michonne can stop that damn smiling all the time".

Carol took the ruby from him and slid over so that he had room to get in. Daryl took off his clothes and slid into bed, "She has a beautiful smile. I don't think you can lock them in long enough to make her stop smiling. At least I hope not. How was the run?"

Daryl took the ruby, and leaned over and kissed her. He started, "It was a good run. Jesse found the fencing materials to put around his house. Michonne found a local trader's guide in a store and we used it to find an archery shop. I was able to get bows for you, the girls, and Carl. There were archery supplies there too. Jesse and Michonne were going through the guide this evening to find guns and ammo for sale". Daryl handed the ruby back to her.

Carol said, "The first thing I thought of when I saw Tyreese is that I can't escape my past. It will always be with me and it will always have the power to take away everything that I love. They were exhausted and ready to drop and all I could think about it was what I might lose."

Daryl knew Carol better than she knew herself and he plucked the ruby from her hand, "What did you do after you saw them?" He stressed do in the sentence and handed the ruby back to her.

Carol recalled what happened. "I had Tyreese put her in our room and I checked her out. She was dehydrated and I started an IV, I started monitoring to see if there was anything else wrong. She has some congestion from the flu but it isn't pneumonia but I am continuing to check for that. We have the antibiotics that Dr. S used and I have it ready if I see anything. "

Daryl took the ruby back, "Sweetheart, it's what you do and not what you first think that matters. Tyreese and I talked this evening. He is just glad to be here and he isn't going to do anything to hurt you or me or anyone else. I think they are going to be happy here."

Carol smiled, "So you were the third wheel all day."

Daryl snorted, "The whole damn day I felt like the chaperone on a field trip trying to keep the students from having sex on the bus".

Carol laughed then, "No wonder Michonne was smiling all day. She was probably just laughing at you squirming in your seat".

Daryl said, "I was a good chaperone, I can guarantee that nothing happened on the run. They were on their own after that. Now they are not the two horny people I am most concerned about. He kissed her then and moved over her. That is when the bed began to squeak very loudly and Carol began to giggle. Whoever had put this bed together had done something wrong. Daryl began to curse. Daryl's cursing made Carol giggle more. Carol's giggling made Daryl swear again and then he began laughing too. "This bed is going to fall down and wake everybody in this house. We have to take it apart and put it back together," Carol said between giggles. Daryl cursed again and they both got out of bed. Carol turned the light on and stripped the bed. She and Daryl moved the mattress and springs. The sight of a naked Daryl adjusting the bed frame made Carol giggle again. "Bet Ashton put this bed together," Daryl growled. Ashton's lack of mechanical knowhow was a running joke in the family. Together put everything back and got back in very gingerly.

Carol turned off the light and stretched out, "It's fine now, you are good at putting things back together." Daryl moved over and kissed her, "You owe me some payment for putting this bed together. Since money is worthless now, I'll just take it in trade."

"And how long will it take to work off this debt and what exactly must I do to pay you off?" Carol laughed.

"You have to love me and laugh at me for at least fifty more years," Daryl answered and Carol didn't say anything for a bit.

"You are letting me off easy then, I was prepared to go for sixty." Carol rolled over on top of him and Daryl hoped that he had put the damn bed back together right because it was going to get a workout tonight.

Sasha woke up to hear Carol giggling and Daryl cursing and then laughing. She thought to herself; they make each other happy. She went back to sleep with a smile on her face. It was good to be home.


	10. Market Day

**The women of the homestead need a little girl time and this story needs some female bonding. I hope you like this chapter and yes, I would like a review. We will have a Carol/Daryl less TWD so get your fix here.**

Market Day

Carol had been trapped in the house for the last two days by heavy rains. Daryl and Tyreese had gone outside to do chores but for the most part everyone was stuck in the house getting on each other's nerves. The good news was that the sun hat battled with fog and clouds this morning and by midmorning the sun was declared the winner. Daryl, Tyreese, Jesse, and Carl had just left for a run to get more fencing supplies and the only ones left at the homestead were the women and girls.

Carol and the others stood on the porch and waved goodbye to the fence getting crew. "Goodbye, Sweetheart," Carol called while Judith waved "bye-bye".

"Goodbye, Laddie," Michonne mimicked Jesse's fake Scottish accent.

"Goodbye, Big Brother," Sasha rumbled.

Lizzie and Mika bolted for the barn and the horses. The three women sank in the rockers on the porch and listened to the sounds of the truck as it rolled farther down the hill. "If that truck turns around and comes back up the hill, I am taking the Sub somewhere away from Daryl," Carol declared.

Michonne snickered. Daryl had gotten bored hanging around the house and his constant pacing around had driven Carol up the wall. Carol lifted her eyebrow at her and said, "Be honest, Jesse was driving you up a little crazy".

Michonne laughed, "Yes, I wanted to go out to the barn and work out. There he was offering to spar with me. He just hangs around all damn day. I need some space."

Sasha said, "Tyreese has hovered over me since I got sick and he hasn't got the memo that I have recovered."

Carol said, "I am not cleaning today and it is too wet to work in the garden".

Michonne said, "I would like to go shopping".

Sasha laughed, "Retail therapy."

Carol was starting to enjoy just hanging out with the girls. Ed had not allowed her to have friends and she had cherished her friendships with Lori and Andrea at the farm. She loved Daryl but she wanted friends too. Today was Wednesday and Ashton had told her that was Market Day in Adair. The parking lot of the high school was set up as a place for bartering and trading of goods. "We could go to Market Day in town, " Carol said, "Even if we didn't trade anything at least we could go see what it is like. Ashton told me that he and Jo usually go."

Michonne looked at the muddy yard and knew that it would take most of the day for it to be dry enough to practice on. "What can we use for trade? We don't have all that much stuff."

Everyone thought for a while. "We could use that ammo that you all got from the run last week," Carol said. "Or anything that is useful that we don't need. Grandma was a pack rat. Let's go down to the basement and see what is there."

The basement had all sorts of junk and they collected can openers, knives, and other small items easily transported. They found several boxes of liquor ranging from airplane size small bottles to gallon jugs of whiskey. They grabbed a box of ammo and got Lizzie and Mika. The jumped in the Sub and headed down the hill stopping at Ashton's house to tell them where they were going. Ashton's son Jonathan and Patrick's Joshua came out to talk to them. Ashton and Jo had already left. Josh maneuvered around to Sasha's window to tell her that he was glad that she was feeling better and asked if he could ride down with them. Carol smiled assent; the boy had been by several time to check on Sasha. Josh gave them directions to the high school though you just follow the crowd which was all headed to that direction.

Michonne found a parking space and they walked to the market area. Most vendors had tables with their wares on them and there was the smell of popcorn in the air. The mood was festive and they wandered through the market on their first round just trying to figure out where to get started. There was a little of everything for sale. Carol found some blue jeans for the girls and traded a can opener and a flat iron for them. Michonne found a leather jacket in her size and bartered it down to a half a box of shells. Sasha found a pair of boots and traded five airplane size bottles of whiskey for them. Carol was still trying to figure where her grandmother had gotten all those boxes of whiskey. Michonne and Sasha convinced Carol to trade for a light blue top and she gave up two knives for it. Everyone was very friendly to them and they met with smiles everywhere they went.

Sasha got Tyreese two cotton shirts and a two pairs of pants for a wine opener. Carol found some cross bow bolts and traded the other half of the box of shells for them. They met up with Ashton and Jo and they formed a large group. Ashton walked with Carol on one side and Jo on the other. Josh had Sasha on one hand and Michonne on the other. Michonne carried Judith. Mika and Lizzie walked beside of Carol. Josh directed them to the old football field where the animals were sold and they saw horses, cows, pigs, goats, rabbits, and chickens for sale. Carol watched Lizzie and Mika with the horses. The girls loved Jesse's horses but he would soon take them back to his place. She knew all the reasons why they shouldn't get the girls a horse but she was going to talk to Daryl about it anyway. Michonne looked at a clincher which would Jesse needed to reshoe the horses, and was able to exchange it for a several small bottles of whiskey.

Lizzie and Mika wanted to go back and see the horses again before they went home. The girls had picked out two that they thought were the prettiest. Lizzie favored a chestnut mare and Mika a palomino mare. The stopped to look again at the horses and a man came out to shake Ashton's hand and to speak to Carol. "Carol McAllister, I haven't seen you since I was a boy and you beat the living sh..daylights out of me". That statement attracted the attention of their group and all of their eyes were on Carol. "Then, you would be Brian McKenzie, and you deserved every blow that I delivered," Carol answered.

Brian McKenzie laughed. He was a tall strong looking man in his forties with black hair just going to gray. "I did deserve it and my father punished me even worse than you did. I heard that you were back but I was too afraid to visit". He turned to Lizzie and Mika, "Don't underestimate Carol McAllister or you'll be sorry. I apologized to Jesse just the other day and I hope that you will finally forgive me." He held his hand out and Carol shook it and found that he kept hold of it just a little too long.

Michonne noticed that Brian seemed very interested in Carol and she turned to take a second look at her friend. Carol did look very pretty today and Brian obviously thought so too. Carol had drawn her hand back and changed the subject, "Are these your horses, Brian?" she asked motioning to the chestnut and palomino mares.

"They are for sale for the right price," Brian answered. "And I will make the right price pretty low considering that your grandmother helped me buy my farm twenty years ago."

Carol did not want to talk about this in front of the girls; they had had enough disappointments already. "We aren't in the market for horses; the girls just wanted to look at them."

Brian said, "It was good to see you again, Carol and aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" Carol introduced everyone to Brian and soon they were ready to go.

Ashton asked, "Has everyone been friendly to you all today?" Jo laughed, "I bet they have, I forgot to warn you about coming to the marked unaccompanied by a male escort. It means that you are on the market for a man. Good looking women like you won't go single long and so they were making their wants known."

They laughed all the way home about Market Day being a gigantic singles bar. The attention had been surprisingly flattering and they were in a good mood when they put Judith down for a nap and made sandwiches for a late lunch. Josh had come back with them and was hanging out with Sasha on the porch swing. Carol and Michonne sat in the rockers and drank sweet tea. It was a nice day to sit outside and talk.

Michonne asked, "What did he do to occur the wrath of Carol down on his head?"

Carol said, "I can still remember the first time I saw Jesse Graham. I was five years old and staying here with my grandparents. Jesse's mother brought him home to visit for a few weeks. She sat down here on the porch and showed me her baby boy. He had chubby cheeks and big blue eyes and I told her that I would take care of him for her. He would be my little brother and I would be his big sister. I loved him from the moment I saw him. I would see him at family occasions and would insist that he call me "Sister" and I would call him "Brother".

My father was away on some sort of mission and my mother was taking nursing classes when I was ten. I spent most of that year in school here. Jesse and his mother were staying here while his dad was away. Jesse was going to kindergarten at my school. Brian called him the "n" word and made him cry. I found out on the bus going home and I jumped him right then and there. It was my first fight but I had grown up with all these cousins. I beat the shit out of him and he gave me a cut lip and a black eye."

Michonne said, "I knew that you and Jesse seemed more like brother and sister than cousins."

Carol laughed, "He is still my baby brother and I hope that you don't break his heart. I know that he hangs around you all the time but I think he is lonesome in that house by himself. "

Michonne thought it was time to dish out some truths, "I care too much about him already. I am starting to miss him when he isn't here. I thought he was driving me crazy hanging around and I have had a great day, but I am ready for him to come home and go for a ride with me. He makes me laugh when he uses that stupid Scottish accent and calls me his lassie, but I can't lose anybody else".

Carol knew that she and Michonne shared a painful common bond, "I didn't want Lizzie and Mika at first because I didn't want to lose another child. I wanted to keep everybody at arm's length so that I couldn't be hurt again. Then, when Rick threw me out, and told me that nobody wanted me I found out that it still hurt me to lose the people I love. Daryl told me that Rick had told me a lie, that he wanted me and he wasn't nobody. Well, Mika and Lizzie weren't nobody either. I found out that I wanted to be loved and I wanted to love. Loving won't stop losing, but not loving is always losing." Carol got up and walked out to the barn and checked on the girls. Together they went to feed the chickens and gather the eggs.

Michonne had sat there for a few minutes and then went in a checked on Judith. She was awake and was hungry. Carol came in with the girls and they fed Judith while Michonne made some bread dough and left it to rise. It was spaghetti Wednesday and the girls went to the basement and got the spaghetti sauce and spaghetti stored there. They had a while until they expected the men home but there were always things that needed to be done.

Eventually the men came home and they all sat down to enjoy Spaghetti Wednesday and being back together. Jesse ate dinner beside of Michonne and she didn't bother to shift away from him like he usually did. She wanted his attention this evening and she didn't bother to question why. Carol had said it best, "Not loving is always losing".

Sasha told herself that Josh was just too young for her, but he seemed years older than his age. Maybe a few years wouldn't matter so much anymore.

After dinner, Jesse and Michonne took a ride on the horses and Carol and Daryl took the girls for a long walk. Sasha and Josh got the kitchen detail.

Daryl held Carol's hand and they walked toward the family cemetery. The girls clattering on ahead and Carol mentioned that the girls had fallen in love with some horses at the market. Daryl looked at them and thought that horses were a waste of resources. Carol was looking at him and he knew that she wanted to the girls to have those horses. "We could cut the meadows for hay and plant some corn in another field. Jesse has planted more corn than he will need and we can go on runs to find things that we can trade for grain," she said. Just then the girls turned and smiled at them and he knew that he was going to love having horses. He was going to love watching the girls ride and maybe once in a while he and Carol could take a ride together.

"What could we possibly trade for the horses?" Daryl asked.

"We could go on a run and find something that Brian can use and he promised to give us a good deal because my grandmother helped him get his farm," Carol said.

Daryl didn't like the sound of Brian but he liked the way the evening sun's ray caught the colors in Carol's engagement ring. He decided that he should find someone to say some words over them. He felt married to Carol, but it wouldn't hurt for the rest of the world to see a wedding ring on that left hand. You had to lay claim to what you wanted to keep in this world to warn claim jumping Brians that you watched over the ones you love.

Daryl kissed Carol's hand. "Do you think we could ride the horses once in a while?" She smiled so radiantly that he was glad that he was so pussy whipped. "And who the hell is Brian anyway?"

Carol laughed, "I love you, Daryl. You are such a good Papa Bear."

**Hope you liked enjoyed this chapter.**


	11. Metals Are Made From Stones

**Who was surprised that Carol's first fight was in defense of her beloved cousin Jesse? Carol says before she leaves the prison that "Carol Ann McAllister is her true name" and she is just coming to understand how much she lost when her mother dragged her away from McAllister Mountain when she was ten. **

**Daryl is not afraid to let her be true to her name; she is the daughter of a warrior and all of her kin are warriors. It is time for Carol to move past her shame and guilt and take up her sword. Please read and review. **

Metals Are Made From Stones

Daryl was busy all the next day: Carol just saw him for meals. He was working with over at Jesse's place with the fence building. There was quite a crew over there, apparently all the men in the family had assembled themselves over there this morning and began the work to get the fence up. It would take several runs to get the materials to finish the complete fence but Jesse wanted to secure the steel storage building, the house and yard and the barn. Daryl didn't know Carol's cousins all that well except for Jesse, but they all treated him like one of their own. He wasn't surprised at the amount of weaponry that they carried to a work party; McAllister Mountain might seem peaceful but they were one accidental death away from a new wave of walkers and everyone knew it.

The lines were ran and made true. They were using an auger to dig the holes and they were able to get several sections ran before lunch and everything picked up after that. They were focused on their task but still took the time to rib each other but never in a mean way. They even teased him a bit about Brian offering to give Carol a good deal on the horses. Jesse recounted the story of Carol taking out Brian on the bus and the story only got better as he went along. Daryl just said that he was going to go along if they ever bought any horses. They worked through to dinner time and were rewarded to see that some much progress had been made.

Daryl, Tyreese, and Jesse went home dinner with the family. Daryl found himself smiling as he went through the door of the log house just because he knew what was waiting for them. The food was nearly ready and Carol was setting the table for dinner. She smiled at him and he found that he could smile even wider. Carl was holding Judith and she held her arms up to him. "Sorry, I am way too dirty to pick you up," Daryl said and rumpled the hair of the two girls who were reading on the couches. He went on back to their room and found some clean khaki workpants to put on and a blue denim shirt that he liked. He took a shower and combed his hair back thinking that Carol needed to trim his hair soon.

He went back into the great room and sat down at the dining room table and the girls came over and messed up his hair in retaliation. Judith demanded to be on his lap and Carl asked him if he could help with the bow this evening. Carol watched from the kitchen and thought about how good he was with the children. In fact, all three of the men were good with the kids. Judith deserted Daryl for Jesse who picked Judith up and who lifted her up and swung her around and made her squeal with delight. Tyreese listened to Lizzie tell him about her book with interest.

The dinner ritual was that after Tyreese said grace, they ate slowly and talked to each other. The dessert might be canned applesauce but no one left until everyone was finished. Carol said that was the way her grandmother did it and she was going to carry on the tradition. Daryl thought that Grandma Nancy had it going on; she must have been a hell of a woman.

Everyone scattered after dinner. Carol supervised the kitchen clean up and the girls helped. Michonne and Jesse went over to his house to see what had been accomplished today. Tyreese walked to a Bible study held at the community church. Josh and Sasha were taking a ride on his motorcycle and Daryl went to sit on the front porch. The kitchen clean up went quickly and Ashton came by to see if the children wanted to watch a movie with Emily's daughter Arya. Ashton assured Carol that he and Jonathan would see them home.

Daryl felt this evening was really working out better than he had hoped. He scooted out to the truck and retrieved a cloth bundle that he had hidden there yesterday. Carol had put a blanket on the porch and Judith was playing with some toys on that. Daryl went inside and came back with two sweet teas and sat down on a rocker beside of Carol. She thanked him for the tea and he smiled at her. She was wearing a light blue top that matched her eyes and he wished he had the words to tell her how much he loved her.

He gave her the wrapped bundle and said, "Go ahead and open it up". She noticed that the cloth was a heavy silk and wondered what it could be. She opened it and looked at it for a bit. Her first reaction was to bundle it back up and give it back to Daryl. She glanced at him and she saw how serious his expression was; he wanted her to have this sword. Daryl saw the look on Carol's face and said, "Metals are kinds of stones. I want to talk about this." He picked up the short sword and she could see that it was an expensive piece. "This sword is like you, it is beautifully made and when I saw it. I knew that you should have it. You have to stop pretending that you aren't a warrior. You haven't worked out once with Michonne since we got here. You aren't carrying your weapons and that has to stop. You are Carol Ann McAllister and you come from warrior people. I love that about you because it is part of you and I love all parts of you."

Carol looked at Daryl and saw love and acceptance in his eyes. She picked up the sword and moved out into the yard and swung it around. It was felt right in her hands and she knew she would never find a truer fit. She came back on the porch and sat beside him. "Where did you find this?"

"We were at a hunting store yesterday and I found it in a back room. I knew as soon as I saw it that it should be yours. We need to go on a run tomorrow and get more fencing material. I want you to go with us. I need you to have my back and you need a proper weapon". Daryl kissed her hand and he could see that she was conflicted.

"Daryl, I can't go running off with you; I have Lizzie, Mika, and Judith to take care of. I can't leave them here unguarded. What about Carl?" Carol had always stayed behind and taken care of things at the prison.

"I have asked Jo and Emily to watch the girls tomorrow. Jo is excited to have a baby at their house. Carl, Tyreese, and Sasha are going with us. I have it covered." Daryl rubbed her shoulder, "Michonne will keep an eye on the place while we're gone."

Carol looked out at this homestead. She knew that their very survival depended on their ability to keep it from marauders and monsters alike. She needed to be able to fight when the time came. She nodded and picked up the sword. "You're right. We either fight to keep this place or we will lose it. It's just that simple."

Daryl said, "Well, there is just one more stone to talk through this evening and then we can walk over to see the movie with the kids". He brought out the wedding band that went with Carol's engagement ring. "Now, that you went off to Market Day without me, I need to make sure that all those Brians out there know that you are taken. It is time for someone to say some words over us so that you will be wearing a wedding ring. "

Carol answered, "I don't need to wear a ring to tell other men that I am taken. Anyone can see that I love you and don't want anyone else."

Daryl said, "Well, I sent Tyreese over to see if we could get married at the church. I want to say those words, I want to make those promises, and I want to be your husband forever and ever."

Carol looked at Daryl, "I married you in my heart when you told me that Rick was wrong when he said that nobody wanted me because you wanted me and you weren't nobody. I want to be your wife forever and ever".

That sat awhile and watched the sun slide down to a blue mountain while Judith sat on Daryl's lap and they drank sweet tea. Daryl did say that he hoped the wedding wouldn't piss Brian off and cost them more when they bought the horses.

They walked over to Ashton's place to pick up the kids before it got too dark. Daryl carried Judith and held Carol's hand as they walked. She left one hand open and so that it could reach the sword she wore on her side.


	12. Buying the Ticket

**I hope you liked the last chapter and I do love all the Caryl interaction. Carol and Daryl love each other and they both love having a home and family. The muse wants to explore that other 'ship, Jesschonne. I am actually afraid to cross the muse, she can be a real bitch when she wants to be. So let me know how you like this one.**

Buying the Ticket

The run the next day ran perfectly except for a few minor skirmishes. They left before daylight and found that the fencing supplies were still there but a small herd of walkers had moved in. Daryl put Carol beside of him and Carl on the other side. Sasha and Tyreese worked on the other side of Carl and they soon had the walkers put down. Tyreese and Daryl loaded the truck while the others stood guard and there was a small but continual stream of walkers filtering in. Carol used her new sword and found that it cut cleanly.

Michonne had volunteered for homestead watching duty. She kept Judith with her and the girls decided to stay home too. Michonne worked with them in the barn, cleaning out the stalls and brushing down the horses. Then, they worked in the garden together while Judith played in her playpen. Michonne had covered the top with a shade so that the fair skinned babe didn't get sunburned.

The run crew was back by lunch time and Daryl and Tyreese dropped off the load at Jesse's and walked back for a sandwich. The two men ate quickly because the crew had already eaten and were working now. They took Carl back with them; Daryl realized that in this new world boys were taught by men the skills they needed to survive.

When the house quieted down Carol asked Michonne to help her with the sword. Carol could not hope to match Michonne casual elegance with her katana but she knew that her customary hack and whack style wasn't the most efficient. Michonne agreed and took a few minutes to look at Carol's weapon. She saw at once that this sword was made from the finest steel and beautifully crafted. Carol picked it up and it seemed the right length for her. It might seem a little heavy to Carol right now but as she practiced and built up those muscles it would seem lighter. Lizzie and Mika watched from the porch and after a while they joined in. Carol realized that Michonne could teach the girls how to defend themselves better than she could.

Michonne showed her exercises to build strength and agility and they worked together in the hot sun until sweat poured off their bodies. Carol quit before she did but she continued to push herself until she was exhausted. Carol had a warm shower and thought about the morning run. She had handled the run well and the homestead did not collapse without her. She walked back to the porch to check on the girls and heard them in the barn loft practicing their katas.

Dinner that evening seemed quieter than usual to Michonne but maybe that was because Jesse had not shown up to eat with them. No one sat in his seat either. Jesse had sent word by Daryl that he was going to be working on the fence and just come along later to check on the horses. Lizzie and Mika were quiet; Jesse was going to take his horses to his barn when the fences were finished.

Michonne had no appetite; she decided that she was tired from the hard workout. Sasha and Josh volunteered for kitchen duty which did seem to cheer the girls up. Carl and Daryl went to work on his bow and Carol decided that she wanted to read. Michonne took Judith to the porch and played with her. Daryl came up to sit on the porch and Michonne decided that she needed to talk to someone and it might as well be Daryl. She went into the kitchen and got two tall glasses of sweet iced tea.

Daryl relaxed in his rocker and thought that he and Michonne could talk about going on runs with Carol. Michonne started, "Daryl, I always trusted you when we were out hunting the governor. I trusted you to find us a way out of the prison and to find us a better place to live. You and Carol are happy together and you found a way to make that happen when it didn't look like it was even possible. I need to talk to you about Jesse."

Daryl almost choked on his tea but figured Michonne must be desperate to want to talk to him, "You know that I was the idiot that almost let her slip away from me. I would be the last man on earth that I would take advice from. Carol is good at this relationship shit, you need to talk to Carol."

Michonne sighed and thought he was right about his being an idiot, "I can't go to Carol about how I feel about Jesse, she would club baby seals for him, you know that".

Daryl knew that to be true; Carol treated Jesse like he was still the adorable five year old; she would knock Michonne out, tie her up, and give her to Jesse on a platter if he asked her to.  
"Yeah, she would." He sucked it up big time and asked," What is it that you want to talk about?"

Michonne almost laughed at the expression on his face and wanted to come up with some frank discussion of her menstrual cycle or something else that would send Daryl into shock. She restrained herself and said, "Jesse is my problem. He is a wonderful man but I am not very good at relationships. I will just wind up hurting him."

Daryl tried to think of something to say that would get him out of this with both Jesse and Michonne still talking to him. "If you went into the house and it was full of people, who would you look for first?"

Michonne said, "Jesse".

"If you were in a tight spot and you needed help, who would you call first?" Daryl asked

Michonne answered , "Jesse". Jesse was the kind of guy who would jump out of bed at two o'clock if you called and said you heard a noise out back.

"If you wake up and know that you had a sexy dream but you couldn't remember who it was would you first think it was?"

Michonne answered, "Jesse". She had in fact had a few sexy dreams lately and Jesse starred in all of them."

Daryl said, "Okay, session is over, you are cured."

Michonne said, "it's not that simple. You know me I like being able to come and go when I want. I am not cut out to be somebody's wife".

Daryl was hoping that something that he said made sense, "Hell, yes it is that simple. Merle gave me a lifetime of advice and almost every bit of it was shit. Every so often Merle would come up with something that had a ring of truth. We were standing in a line at a convenience store and there was an old man buying lottery tickets in front of us. I was bitching about the old man spending money on lottery tickets when we got back in the truck and Merle said, "_Buying the ticket makes him think that it is possible to change his life. He spends the dollar so that he has a chance to make his dreams come true_". It was such an odd thing for Merle to say but letting yourself be with Jesse is liking a lottery ticket. There is no guarantee that you are going to be the big winner but you got no chance if you don't buy it."

Michonne said, "Life advice from Merle Dixon. I have hit an all time low."

Daryl had to agree but he went on, "Go on in the house and get out a sheet of paper and write down what you are most afraid of about being with Jesse. I can't give you advice about Jesse because every time I look at him I see something in his look that reminds me of Carol. So hell, I want to knock you out, tie you up, and serve you to him on a platter to make both of them happy."

Michonne laughed and got up. She found a piece of paper and wrote down why she was afraid. She read it and thought she sounded like a damn coward even to herself. She had loved an odd assortment of people in her past and none had made her particularly happy for very long. She wrote down reasons for loving him and found that easier to write. She took the paper and put it upstairs and sat by herself for a while.

Michonne went back to the porch where Carol and Daryl were sitting on the porch swing and Daryl was rubbing her stiff shoulder. "Have you seen Jesse?" she asked. Daryl answered, "He was here, checked on the horses, and went back to his house".

Michonne went to the barn and saddled the horses; she rode Latifah and led the chestnut gelding Amir on a rope. Carl opened the gate for her, and she rode toward Jesse's house. He was sitting on his front deck as she rode up. "It's time to take our evening ride together, Jesse".

Jesse stood up and regarded her with a steady gaze. Last night this woman told him to give her some space and that she wanted left alone for a while. This evening she was at his door with his horse wanting to go for a ride. He remembered a line from "Far From the Madding Crowd" in which Bathsheba goes to Gabriel's home to talk to him and she makes some comment that it looks like she is courting him. Gabriel says something about dancing at her skittish heels for so long. He felt like Gabriel but then Gabriel was smart enough to not make her beg. "Do you want to take a short ride or a long ride?" Jesse asked.

Michonne looked up at Jesse and she thought it was time to plunk the money down for the ticket, "I am in for the long haul". He smiled then and she saw the resemblance that Daryl saw between Jesse and Carol. Their faces just lit up when they smiled and you just wanted them to keep smiling at you forever.

Jesse vaulted gracefully off the deck and came out his new gate. He jumped on Amir and they took off and Michonne followed. They did take a long ride and he stopped to let the horses rest and they walked to a big rock so that they could watch the sun go down. He kissed her and she realized how controlled he had been with her before because this kiss was deep and passionate. "Let's go home, Michonne". He murmured and she agreed.

He put the horses in the barn and found them some water. She waited for him and they went into the house together. He led her to his bedroom and she saw all the books in his room. She fell a little more in love with him when she saw that he liked to read; a warrior and a scholar was not to be taken lightly at any time. They smiled at each other and it seemed natural and right to be in this room lit by a golden summer sun with a man with golden brown skin who looked at her with love in his eyes.

Afterward, her stomach growled and he laughed and they grilled up mushrooms and eggs and ate an omelet. They walked the horses back in the deepening twilight. Daryl and Carol had been sitting on the porch when they came back from putting the horses up. They had been holding hands as they came toward the house. Daryl had looked at her and she said, "I bought the ticket". Carol had kissed Jesse on the cheek and he had hugged her back and they smiled that special smile at each other. Daryl and Michonne looked at each other. Daryl said, "Me, too".

Michonne and Jesse slept in her room that because the fence wasn't completely secure. She realized that he would not go to sleep with her in his house without a secure fence. He didn't see her as a weak defenseless woman but he had been reared to protect the ones he loved. Michonne didn't care where they slept as long as Jesse was nearby. She loved this house, but she loved Jesse more.


	13. Game Day

Game Day

The morning of the Highland Games dawned cool and clear and Jesse and Daryl were up early to get their weapons ready for the contests. Daryl was cleaning and polishing this crossbow and bolts for the archery contests. Jesse was polishing his sword and knife for his contests. Daryl had made coffee and they were eating some homemade granola bars that Carol had made to take today. They were so intent on comparing the shine of their weapons that they didn't notice Carol was watching them from the kitchen. They were acting like two high school boys getting ready for the big game. Carol remembered Daryl telling her that he had never been on a team in high school. Jesse had probably played on every team in high school but he was as hyper as Daryl.

"That's it, no more coffee for you two", she said and she put the coffee back for Michonne who was going to need it to put with these two. Michonne came down and shook her head at Daryl and Jesse, "Rookies" she muttered. Michonne drank some coffee and looked at Jesse. She had found that she liked to spend some idle time just looking at Jesse. Today he was wearing a blue long sleeved tshirt and black cargo pants with black boots. He was clean shaven and closely shorn and looked like the warrior he was except for the silly grin on his face when he looked at her. Michonne was wearing the blue tshirt and black cargo pants of the team. For once she was going to be a team player if it killed her. And it might.

Daryl had Carol to trim his hair the night before and she had taken advantage of the opportunity to cut his hair much shorter and out of his eyes. He was dressed in the blue tshirt and black cargo pants of his team. She had seen Daryl wade through a herd of walkers with less nervousness than he was showing this morning.

The girls and Carl came downstairs and Carol fixed them breakfast. Soon everybody was dressed and ready to go. Carol was not going to march down with the others because that would make the day too long for Judith. She was going to ride down with Jo later.

The Clan McAllister assembled on the road outside the homestead, Jonathan and Ashton were playing the bagpipes and a couple of high school kids were playing the drums. Patrick was in in front of the clan as War Chief behind him all those that swore allegiance to the clan were gathered with their weapons. Carol stood at the gate holding Judith and watched them until they were out of sight. She could hear the bagpipes playing for far longer than that.

…

Patrick marched them down the hill toward the high school. Daryl could hear the bagpipes from every direction as the clan moved toward the game field. Each clan had an area on the football bleachers to assemble. The games were played on the field in front of the crowd. The children's contests were held first. Lizzie won the girls 100 yard dash. Carl came in second in the archery contest. The points were tallied on a large scoreboard and Clan McAllister was holding even with Clan McCollough. There were other clans not too far behind that they couldn't catch up in the adult round.

There was a long break between the morning and the afternoon contests so that everyone could eat lunch. Daryl noticed that there was so drinking but for the most part everyone was having a good time. He thought that he might find Brian McKenzie to do a little business with him and he left Lizzie and Mika with Michonne. Daryl thought about the conversation that he had with Carol last night. She had told him that the girls could still visit with Jesse's horses when he moved them. Jesse and Michonne seemed in no hurry to move and no one wanted them to go. Carol said that most girls love horses but they would be fine without having one of their own. There was something in her voice that said she didn't believe it and Daryl asked her, "Did you have a horse when you were a little girl?" He was rewarded by Carol's happy smile, "My grandparents gave me a horse for my ninth birthday; her name was Shannon".

"So you can ride a horse?". Daryl realized that Carol wanted to give the girls a horse because she had loved horses when she was a girl.

"I haven't ridden a horse since I was ten; I would probably fall off and land on my sword". Carol laughed.

Daryl didn't think he liked horses; they would eat them out of house and home. He liked motorcycles. Motorcycles didn't have teeth and hooves and he knew how to ride motorcycles and he had no clue how to ride a horse.

Daryl put all that out of his mind; he wanted to see what Brian McKenzie wanted for his horses. The horses were over on the old baseball field. He walked on over.

Brian McKenzie saw Darrel coming across the field. He thought this man that Carol was with was a scrawny fellow, and how he landed Carol McAllister he would never know. Brian had watched a silver haired beauty walking through Market Day with Ashton and had recognized her immediately when she laughed. He had had a serious crush on Carol when she was ten and he was eleven. And here she was after all this time. Brian had been delighted that she was at Market Day without a husband. He noticed that the girls liked the horses but he had been more interested in Carol than selling horses. Later, he found out that Carol and this guy were going to get married. Brian had lost both his daughters and his wife on that day and he had thought that he would never marry again.

Daryl knew that the big man must be Brian McKenzie and he was impressed that Carol had tackled him even at eleven. Daryl held his hand out and said, "I am Daryl Dixon and my girls liked a couple of your horses". Brian took his hand and shook it quite properly. Brian was not the kind of guy that tried to prove his strength by crushing the other guy's hand. "They are over here" and he showed Daryl the chestnut and palomino mares. "They've been bred already but this will be their first foals". Daryl admitted, "I don't know much about horses but Jesse is going to look them over for me. The question is what do you want for them?" 

Brian said, "Money is not worth anything right now, but I hear that you make runs to get things. I have a son who is going to get married and set up his own house. I have a list of things that I want you to get in exchange for the horses". He handed Daryl the list. Daryl looked it over. It would take a couple of runs to gather all this stuff but he thought that he could do it.

Daryl asked, "It will take me a couple of runs but I will try to get it as soon as I can. Now how did you know that I would be here today?" Daryl folded the list and put it in his pocket.

Brian laughed, "Maybe I have a bit of the sight. Or maybe I saw the way Carol looked at those girls with the horses. Either way sooner or later you'd be coming to see me. It is always good to be prepared. You want to make your girls happy don't you?"

Daryl had the sneaking suspicion that Brian meant Carol when he said your girls but he chose discretion as the better part of valor and agreed with the big ox, "Yeah, I do". They shook hands again like big boys and Daryl went back to Clan McAllister.

Llllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Carol had spent the morning getting things ready for the party tonight at Ashton's house. The group was going to march back up the hill and stop there for some food and drink. She had donated one of bottles from grandma's stash in the basement. Judith had taken a good long nap and she was getting ready to take her over to Jo so that they could go to the Games. Carol decided to leave the food and drink in the house because carrying Judith and a diaper bag was enough. She locked the house and the gate up and she and Judith took the walk to Ashton and Jo's house. The road seemed too quiet. The older folks that weren't interested in the games were manning all the roads because this would be a bad time for something to happen. She knew that Kevin and Connie Connelly were watching the road from just below Ashton's house but she was getting a creepy vide. She walked faster and was soon at Jo's house. Jo had the jeep ready to go and soon she was waving at Kevin and Connie who were working in their garden.

Carol carried Judith and Jo carried a basket of food and drink to the McAllister section of the bleachers. She handed Judith to Carl as she sat down beside him. He gave her a running commentary of the afternoon events. Daryl was competing in the cross bow and long bow contest. Jesse would be competing in mixed and single swords and the dirk throwing contest. Michonne was competing with mixed and single swords.

Carol adjusted the hat that she had put on Judith to keep her from getting sunburned, The day was fairly cool but the sun was bright. Lizzie, Mika, and Carl sat with her and cheered on the team. Daryl had lost in the long bow contest but had won the cross bow contest handily. He came back up and sat down beside of Carol to enjoy the rest of the day. He laughed and said that he was going to practice harder next year. Josh came in second to Shawn McCullough.

Jesse and Michonne had quickly dispatched their competition in both sword contests. Carol enjoyed watching the two of them fight together and separately. There were both so strong and moved with such fluid grace that no one could compete with them.

The dirk throwing contest came down to Jesse and John McCullough. The contest was simple. A simple wooden circle was the target. Each man threw his dirk at the circle. The dirk had to hit within the circle and stay in the wood. The distance was increased after each round. The crowd was silent as each man lined himself up with his target and let fly with his dagger and then there would be a round of applause as the dirk settled into the target. Finally, John McCullough's dirk hit within the circle and but fell down to the ground. The crowd made no noise as Jesse threw his dirk straight as an arrow and sunk it into the wood with a resounding thunk. The crowd cheered as Jesse shook hands with John and made his way back to the bleachers. He was finished for the day. He sat down beside of Michonne.

The lead changed hands at every contest. The McAllister and the McCullough Clans were still in the lead but neither clan could finish the other off. They were tied with one more event to go.

The next contest was the tug of war. Carol thought the Highland Games rewarded those who had the skills to survive in this world by being a warrior. You had to be physically strong as well. The tug of war had four people to a team and the team that pulled the other team across the line won.

There were only three teams competing in this event. The McKenzie, McAllister, and the McCullough Clans were the only ones left. The McKenzie team didn't have enough points to win the Games but they could spoil it for the other two. It was decided that each team would compete against the other two.

The McKenzie team consisted of Brian and his three sons who were all as big as their father. The McCullough team was big but not as big as the McKenzie Clan.

The McAllister Team consisted of Patrick, Tyreese, Joshua, and Jonathan.

The McKenzie team defeated both the McCullough and McAllister Teams but still didn't have the points to win. That left the winner to be decided between the McAllister and McCullough Clans. Carol was embarrassed by how much she wanted her Clan to win. The teams lined up for the final contest and you could tell by the way they dug their feet in that neither team wanted to be defeated. Carol looked at Daryl and she could tell that he was totally absorbed in the battle.

The two teams both tried to get the advantage by pulling with everything they had from the start. One team would pull their other a bit and the momentum would seem to shift a bit the other way. Finally, the advantage settled with the McAllisters as they seemed to meld together as one large mass of power all concentrated in pulling. The McColloughs were dragged across the line and the contest was over. The McAllisters cheered and Carol told Daryl that she was taking the girls and Judith and riding back up with Jo. He nodded and told her that he would see her on the mountain.

There was going to be a bagpipe contest next and Carol thought that might be way too much for Judith. The girls protested but not too much and they followed Carol and Jo out to the jeep. They were soon on the mountain. Carol had Jo to drive her out to get the food and drinks for the party. They came back and stopped at the gate and Carol had hopped out with Judith to open the gate. She shifted Judith to her left side so that she could unlock the gate with her right hand. Jo had not pulled up close to the gate and so Carol had some distance to cross. The hay on the field across the road had not been cut this year and Carol was well away from the jeep when she saw two walkers cross the road and head toward the jeep. She turned back and took the sword that she had at her side and headed toward the walkers. She caught the first one with a stab through his eye and a quick pull out. The second walker seemed to regard her a second and then a puff of wind brought the distant sound of the bagpipes and the walker turned its head in that direction. Carol used the sword to separate its head from its body and followed it up with another stab through the eye.

She walked over to the gate and opened it and when Jo got the jeep in, they both made sure that the gate was locked. Jo took Judith and Carol realized that she had been carrying her all that time. They went into the house and Jo gave her a drink of something stronger than sweet tea and they sat down a few minutes. Jo put Judith in a play pen that she had for the occasional visit. Carol got up and went back outside to see in any other walkers had shown up. The girls went with her and they waited and listened to the sound of bagpipes go from almost not being able to hear to very loud. The girls leaned on Carol as they waited and she put her arms around them. They had been sitting in the back of the jeep when those walkers came across the road; she wasn't losing anyone else because she couldn't fight for them.

Daryl and Jesse dragged the walkers over into the field. They would burn the bodies later. It was a great party on McAllister Mountain that night. The Clan had won the honors, but the best story of all and one sure to be repeated in every clan gathering from now on was how Carol McAllister had killed two walkers while carrying a baby.

Carol and Daryl sought a quiet spot to sit and talk. Carol reassured him that she was fine and that all the training that she had been doing with Michonne had paid off. She intended to work even harder from now on. Daryl said that he had talked to Brian and that he had given him a list. They looked at it together and Daryl knew that together they would finish their scavenger list. The party ended before dark and they walked home as a family. Michonne and Jesse went to check on the horses. Carol put Judith to bed and the other children went upstairs. The adults sat on the porch and drank some of Grandma's whiskey and Carol thought, "Today was a good day."


	14. Better Place

**This chapter will be very different from the rest of the story, but the muse wants to see how some old friends are doing. So we leave the cool mountains and go back to Georgia to whisper in our character's ears a promise that there is better place to go to in this life and the next**. **I am giving a dose of poetry because I think that Beth would like that poem and it sort of fits the story**.

Better Place

Glenn stopped digging for a few minutes to rest and to drink some water. The Georgia sun was relentless and he was still weak from the flu. It had been three weeks and he still wasn't back to normal. Three weeks of living like moles in the basement of the farmhouse while Maggie and Beth tended Hershel. The old man had died this morning and he had sent the women away and put him down with a thrust through the brain stem. Carol had shown him how to do that and it left the face intact. Hershel had looked peaceful when they came back and began to prepare him for burial and he had left to start the grave. Maggie had come out to dig and Beth too. He needed to finish this so that Hershel could be buried before sundown and they could be back inside the basement.

Maggie came out and nodded that it was finished. She and Beth brought Hershel out wrapped in a blanket and Glenn helped them lower it into the grave. Maggie was too numb to say anything and Beth choked out "Amazing Grace" and Glenn knew that he needed to say something that gave some comfort to Maggie and Beth. He started, "Hershel believed in the promises in his bible. He believed that Jesus had left here to create a better place for his children. It was real to Hershel and he died in peace looking forward to reuniting with the ones that went before." Glenn looked over at the graves that he had helped dig that summer on the farm. "Hershel was the best man I ever knew and I like to think that he found that better place. He loved all of us and a part of him will be with us forever. He isn't gone as long as we can remember him. So we need to honor him by remembering the lessons that he tried to teach us when he was with us and by passing them on our children."

Maggie and Beth stood there awhile and then Glenn motioned them to leave. He needed to get this grave filled in and be back inside the basement before sunset. The walkers were bad enough during the day and but they were far worse at night when you couldn't see them out there.

That evening the three of them huddled in the basement. They basement still had canned food in it and there were able to get water from the well during the day. Hershel had contacted the flu after they fled the prison and in desperation they had come back to the farm to find the house still standing but not the haven of the past. Hershel had survived the flu but later on had developed pneumonia. Maggie and Beth had cared for him night and day and Glenn had scavenged for things that they needed to survive.

They were huddled close together as if the close presence of the living somehow evened out that the dead was walking above their heads. They had put sound barriers so that Hershel's coughing would not bring a herd looking for them and they could talk as long as they kept their voices low. No one said anything for a very long time when Beth spoke for the first time since she had sung at Hershel's grave. "I am getting the hell out of here tomorrow".

Maggie was almost as stunned at Beth cursing as she was by her declaration, "Amy, where do you think that you are going?"

Beth turned to her and saw that Maggie was falling apart. She had been so strong for so long, all through Glenn's sickness, the fall of the prison, their flight here, and then taking care of their father Maggie had held herself together. Now, she seemed lifeless and broken. Beth said, "I am going to go find Carol. She told us where she was going and said that we could come too. I love Carol and I want to see her again." She was a little defiant with that last statement. Maggie had been judgmental about what Carol had done, but Beth who had been much closer to Carol was willing to forgive.

Maggie turned furiously on her sister, "You will not run off and get yourself killed chasing a ghost."

Beth was calmer than Maggie when she answered, "I am not being suicidal. I just don't want to sit here and watch us die one by one. The last one won't have anyone to dig the grave for them, and I want a chance for something better. I will go with or without you, Maggie. This place is now a graveyard. I am not living the rest of my life waiting to die."

Glenn let them talk; he agreed with Beth. This place was a graveyard. "I have a map of Georgia/South Carolina/North Carolina in my backpack. I found it on the way here at a gas station. We can look for Adair".

Maggie stalked off to the other end of the basement and Glenn dug out the map. He hadn't really looked at it before but it unfolded into a map of the entire area and the back side had a map of each state. Beth looked over his shoulder and adjusted the lantern so that they both could see it. They found Adair finally. It must be a small place in the mountains of North Carolina, but a small place sounded good to them. Carol had said something about her family living up on some mountain out to town.

Maggie watched them angrily. Glenn brought the map to her eventually and she hissed at him," This is crazy. The woman killed two sick people and you want to risk your life to find her?"

Glenn sighed, "I love her like a sister and we never really heard her side of the story. Besides, we have both done things that we need forgiveness for. I just have a feeling that this is a gamble I am willing to take. It's better to have half a chance than no chance. Today at the grave I said something that surprised me. I said that I wanted to tell my children about Hershel. The last time I saw Andrea alive I was angry and unforgiving. Carol hugged her and showed that she still loved her. I lost my chance to hug Andrea and tell her that I loved her. I am not losing a chance to see Carol again and you aren't either. Your ass is going to be in that Tahoe tomorrow because we are going to have children someday who will hear your stories about their grandfather. The Grim Reaper waited in the shadows of the prison to take me and I am not sitting here waiting for him to find me again." He stalked off and Maggie was still angry but she got up and started to put the things in her backpack that she wanted to take. There was food that needed to be stored in the Tahoe and she needed to go upstairs in the morning to see if there was any photographs or family mementos that they could take with them.

They left before sunrise the next morning and the next few days were spent scavenging gasoline and supplies. Glenn wanted to bring some useful things with them and he stocked up whenever there was anything. He found a trailer and filled it full of medical supplies, weapons, ammo, and food. He wanted to be able to survive if they didn't find Carol.

Glenn was driving on the highway that led to Adair when he saw the roadblock. He stopped the Tahoe and told Maggie and Beth to stay put. He approached on foot and talked to the men at the concrete barrier. They knew Carol and gave them the directions to her house. Glenn walked back to the car and sat down. "We are just going to drive up this road until we see a sign that say McAllister Mountain and we stay on that road for miles and Carol and Daryl live in a log house close to the top. We will go past a big log house with three buildings and it is just a little past that. We stop at the gate and wait until someone lets us in."

Glenn waved to the men at the roadblock and they waved back. "They told me that we aren't the first ones to make it". Glenn found the road to McAllister Mountain and they started up the mountain. Beth remembered a poem by Christini Rossetti called Uphill and she began to recite it as a sort of prayer as they traveled past farms and houses. Children playing inside of fences waved to them as they drove by.

Uphill

Does the road wind uphill all the way?

_Yes, to the very end_.

Will the day's journey take the whole long day?

_From morn to night, my friend._

But is there for the night a resting-place?

A roof for when the slow, dark hours begin.

May not the darkness hide it from my face?

_You cannot miss that inn._

Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?

_Those who have gone before. _

Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?

_They will not keep you waiting at that door. _

Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?

Of labour you shall find the sum.

Will there be beds for me and all who seek?

_Yea, beds for all who come._

Glenn thought they must be getting close because he saw the log house with the three buildings and he followed the road on home. The next house had a gate and he stopped by it. He got out of the Tahoe and stretched. There was a large log house with a long porch on the front. The door opened and Daryl stepped out and behind him came Carol with Judith. Beth had seen Judith and she jumped out and waited with him. Maggie got out more slowly.

Maggie saw Daryl run to open the gate and Carol go back inside. Daryl hugged them which seemed a shock to almost everyone and told them to drive on in. Carol had come back to the porch with Judith and Maggie saw Tyreese and Sasha waiting for them. Michonne and Carl followed them out with a man that she didn't know. Maggie saw Lizzie and Mika come out and stand beside of Carol. Everyone hugged them and kissed them when they got out of the car. Maggie knew when Carol knew that Hershel was gone because she saw the sorrow on her face. Beth bounded up to Carol and hugged her and kissed Judith who was a little frightened by all the noise. Glenn kissed Carol and told her that he loved her. Maggie went on in the house to find that the table was set and she could smell something that smelled wonderful. This was a home. The people who lived here came home at the end of their day and sat down and ate together. This was the way life had been and still was here.

Carol told Glenn that they would wait until they had a shower to eat. Daryl showed them where the showers were and they found that there actual hot water and soap. There were blue tshirts and black cargo pants to fit when they were finished. Daryl said, "Welcome to Clan McAllister", and laughed when he gave them the clothes.

Downstairs the table seemed larger and there enough seats and dishes for everyone to sit and eat. They sat down and Tyreese said a prayer of thanksgiving that they were safe and here with them. Then they ate together like a family. Maggie smiled at Beth who was holding Judith as they ate and Glenn who talking to Daryl. Maggie smiled at Carol who was talking to the Michonne and the man beside her. Carol seemed to sense her smile and looked up to meet her gaze. Something of an understanding passed between them, some secrets will always be kept within the family. Carol smiled back and Maggie felt a burden roll away from her. She was in a better place and she was home.

**Hope you liked this chapter, I couldn't leave them out of the story. The muse sees potential in all of them and you know I have to go with what the muse wants.**

**Review please. **

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	15. Music Man

**Fast Forward a week or so. Daryl and Company have gathered everything that Brian has asked and today Brian and his son are delivering the horses. It's a surprise to Lizzie and Mika who have been in mourning since Jesse and Michonne and their horses are living in Jesse's house. Tyreese and Sasha are living in one the empty farms out past Jesse's house. There was at least one other farm out there, wonder who will move in next? And will there be other surprises when the horses arrive? **

Music Man

Carol bustled around the kitchen this morning looking more busy than productive. Daryl had found all sorts of things that he had to do this morning at the house. Jesse and Michonne had come over to hang out and to see the reaction of the girls to their horses. Lizzie and Mika were off in the barn. They liked to hang out in the barn loft and read and draw. Lizzie was a very talented artist and she was trying to draw Michonne on Latifah but it wasn't coming out right.

Glenn and Maggie were working in the garden. Glenn was healthy again and they both enjoyed the outdoors. The men had brought the small piano in the attic down and Beth was playing. She thought she was sounding terrible but the others thought it was wonderful.

Daryl heard the trucks first and rushed out to open the gate. He had to laugh at himself; he was far more excited about giving these horses to the ones he loved than all his past Christmases rolled together. He and Brian had come to a sort of friendship even if Brian seemed was too interested in Carol to suit Daryl.

Everyone else went out on to the porch to watch. The girls stayed in the barn, and Brian and his son Brendan unloaded the two horses and brought them up to the porch. Brian smiled up at Carol and there was a definite twinkle in his eye, "So I have some old nags for sale here, are you interested, Carol?" She smiled back and said, "I think I know two girls who are going to be very happy with those old nags". Daryl frowned at him, but Daryl was too excited about seeing the girl's reaction to think about Brian. Carol introduced Brian and Brendan to Maggie, Glenn, and Beth. Brendan was almost as big as Brian and had his black hair and brown eyes. He was a good looking boy and it was not lost on Carol that Brendan could not take is eyes off Beth. Beth had smiled at him and the boy was smitten. Beth did give a few glances his way too. Michonne and Jesse were playing with Judith on the porch but keeping an eye out for the girls.

Carol sent Carl down to tell the girls to come to the house. Daryl and Carol stood beside of each other on the porch to watch the girls. They were walking along with Carl until they saw the horses. They both stopped and watched a second, and then they walked on stepping carefully as if they were really unsure what was going on. Brian smiled at the two girls and wiped sudden tears from his eyes. He could remember how his daughters were when they got their first and only horses.

The girls walked up to the horses and Brian said, "Now I don't look too much like an elf, but Santa Claus has been looking for you two for a while. Santa says that you are two very special girls and you are getting your Christmas present early this year. Now which one of you lasses would be Lizzie?" Lizzie stepped forward and he handed her the reins of the chestnut. "So you would be Mika, " Brian said, "Then this one belongs to you". He handed her the reins to the palomino. The girls burst into tears and Carol wiped her eyes too. Daryl was a little upset that they cried but he had lived with Carol long enough to know that tears aren't always bad. Lizzie handed the reins to Brendan and went on the porch and buried her face in Daryl's chest. He hugged her and said, "You're welcome". She hugged Carol next. Mika just stared at the horse for the longest time and said to the horse, "Your name is Snowfire". Mika then rushed to thank Carol and Daryl. Lizzie walked back to her chestnut mare, "Fledge is your name."

Daryl was smiling wider and wider and Brian matched his smile. "Now you know I think I am getting out of the horse business to take up farming and black smithing, so I have a few horses to sale. Brendan obligingly loped out to the gate and unloaded two more horses. One was a big bay gelding and the other a beautiful gray mare and Brendan brought the two other horses to the front porch. Carol couldn't take her eyes off of the mare; she looked a lot like Shannon. Carol whirled and looked at a delighted Daryl, "Daryl, you big tease, you have been grumping around about these horses for weeks." She kissed him then.

Brian said, "Still have one left, but I think there is a young man here who needs to learn how to ride so that he can protect the others, now which one of you is Carl?" he pretended to look for a Carl among all those on the porch and one by one they shook their heads no. Finally, he came to Carl and handed him the reins. Carl had never been much of a horse boy mostly because he thought maybe it was a girl thing, but as he looked up at the big horse and knew that it was to be his, he fell in love. Carl, the tough young man who had seen and done too much to ever be a child again had tears in his eyes . Brian picked him up and set him on his horse and said, "This is a man's horse, laddie and you'll sit well on it." Carl looked at Carol and Daryl and smiled, "My horse's name is Morgan because he saved my dad. Thank you, Mama Bear and Papa Bear".

Brendan walked the children and the horses back to the barn. He knew the horses needed to calm down a bit and they needed to bond with them away from all these people. He reminded them that they should be calm and easy with the horses. He helped the them put the horses in their new stalls and they gave the horses food and water. Carol was coming down later and Carl took care of her horse for her. The boy was stunned by the horse, but he loved it already. Brendan saw that they understood about horses and he went back to the house where Beth was.

The excitement over so most of the crowd drifted away. Maggie and Glenn went down to the barn to help with the horses. Carol kept shaking her head at a grinning Daryl while offering food and drink to Brian and Brendan. Beth was holding Judith and helping Carol. The boy had wandered to the piano and looked at Carol for permission to sit down. Carol nodded. Brendan looked out of place on the bench but he stretched his fingers and when he played the line that Beth had been struggling with it was obvious that he knew how to play. Beth drifted over and sat down beside him with Judith. He smiled at her and said, "Do you know the song, "Every Breath That I Take?" and she nodded. He played from memory and their voices melted together. Brian watched them, "My wife was musical and Brendan sang with her all the time. He plays the piano in church and other people sing but I haven't heard him sing since that day." He turned to Carol, "is she some kin of yours?  
Carol answered, "She's the daughter of my heart." Brendan and Beth switched to a new song in the background. Judith occasionally helped by banging on the keys in front of her but it still sounded pretty.

Brian said, "I am serious about moving to a small farm. The truth is and this is just between you and me, I can't stand the girl my son is marrying. My other son is going to marry another girl I don't like. I am letting them split the farm so that they can each have their own place. Brendan and I would like to move out by Jesse's house. We have looked the place over and you know that your grandmother bought it for Jesse before she died. So would you be alright for us to be your neighbors?"

Daryl scowled at him, "Don't be over here trying to hit on my wife or you're a dead man." Carol scowled at Daryl. Brian answered, "Then you better treat her right, because I have cleaned up horse turd bigger than you." Both men burst out laughing and so Carol figured that they were getting new neighbors. Brian said, "This way Brendan won't have to go very far to court. I hope that I like this one because I don't want to have to move again".

Carol said, "I am taking my leave now, I am off to make an acquaintance with another old gray mare". Daryl laughed, "Sweetheart, that horses ain't old and you ain't either. Come on, Brian let's leave these two song birds to do their courting without us watching them. Beth is a nice little girl and if you can't get along with her, then something is wrong with you."

Carol picked up Judith and the three of them went to the barn to see how the horses were settling in. Brendan and Beth barely noticed when they left.

…..

The front porch was a happy place that night. Michonne and Jesse had spent most the day working with the new horses and their owners. The girls had already been told that thet couldn't sleep in the barn. The surprise was how much Carl loved his horse. Morgan was a man's horse and Jesse had worked with Carl for hours to show him how to ride and control the horse. Carol hadn't named the mare yet, but she had ridden here. Daryl was refusing to ride telling them that the last time he had ridden a horse he had almost gotten killed.

Brendan and Brian had stopped by after being over at their new place. Jesse had talked it over with Michonne and they had agreed that having Brian and Brendan around would be a good thing. Brian knew all about horses and could keep the horses healthy. Michonne added that having them around would help make them all safer. Brendan and Beth sat off to the side and were talking earnestly to each other. Maggie saw something in Beth that had never been there with her other boyfriends. Beth had found someone who matched her in interests; it didn't hurt that he was handsome and kind. That was something about Brendan that made small children climb on his lap and talk to him. There was something about Brendan that made Beth want to do more than that with him.

…

Carol and Daryl were getting ready for bed. Carol was getting sore from riding a horse and Daryl was threatening to rub her down with horse linament and he gave her a back rub. She turned to him and said, "You wanna screw around". He laughed, "Hell, I ain't saying stop. I am smarter than I used to be".

Carol laughed, "And the next line?". Daryl kissed her and said, "It's your call sweetheart, I am just here for the ride".

**The neighborhood is filling up fast. I picked that song especially for those two song birds and I am going to be really disappointed if you didn't catch the pun in the title. Say it with me, "Every Breath That I Take" is a great song for my new ship. **


	16. Accepting

**Glad to hear that most of you like the Breth ship and are glad that Brian is not some home wrecker out to destroy the Caryl ship. He is not, but he will be hanging around the homestead from time to time. The horses will come into play in some future episodes but this chapter will concentrate Carol and Lizzie. It does seem that those two might have a lot in common. Carol is going to have a little talk with Lizzie and if you want fluff and romance, better skip this one. **

Accepting

Carol stepped in the barn in search of Lizzie and stopped when she went inside to let her eyes adjust to the dim barn after leaving the bright sunlight outside. Carol heard Lizzie talking to her horse and was startled by the sound of Lizzie sobbing. Carol automatically moved toward Lizzie to comfort her and she saw that Lizzie was standing outside of Fledge's stall hitting her fists against a pillar in the barn. She gathered Lizzie in her arms and tried to soothe her. Lizzie held on for a second and then pushed herself away. Lizzie did that with her often, she would hug her and then push herself away.

Carol wiped Lizzie's face with her apron and said, "Let's go up into the loft, I haven't been up there since I was a little girl." Lizzie frowned but followed Carol up the ladder to the loft. There was plenty of hay up there from the mowing that had been going on the mountain for the last week. The area close to the opening was still free and Carol saw that there was drawing paper and pencils scattered around and a few books. Carol sat down and let her legs dangle out the large opening remembering reading and playing in the loft when she was younger than Lizzie.

Lizzie sat down beside of Carol but her face was closed and angry. "I heard you talking to Fledge. Horses are good listeners, and they never interrupt," Carol said. Lizzie continued to look forward and not making eye contact with Carol, "Did you eavesdrop on me?" Lizzie asked sounding both angry and a little apprehensive.

Carol took Lizzie's hand, "No, I had just gotten into the barn when I heard you crying. Horses are good listeners and you can tell them things that you might not want to tell someone else."

Lizzie nodded, "I have been talking to Fledge about things that I can't tell anyone else."

Carol waited a bit to answer, "Are you sure that you can't tell me or Michonne?"

Lizzie turned to look at her for the first time, "It is very hard to talk to Fledge about this. I thought that I had pushed it back and it keeps coming back out. I am afraid that if I talk about it with you then it won't ever go back again. It will always be with me."

Carol nodded at her, "You are afraid to tell because then it becomes real and you can't pretend it didn't happen?"

Lizzie nodded, "I don't want to think about it, and now it seems like I think about it a lot."

Carol closed the distance between them and put her arm around Lizzie, "Tell me or tell someone. It's already real and it already hurts you. I promise to just listen and you can tell me as much as you want to. I can be a good listener".

Lizzie leaned against Carol. She had had the nightmare again last night and Carol had heard her from downstairs Carol had come up and held her until she went back to sleep. It was time to tell the person that she trusted the most with the memory that wouldn't stay pushed back.

Lizzie began, "We lived in Jacksonville. Mom, Dad, Mika, and me. Dad and Mom got us in the car that day and we went to our cabin in Georgia. We made it there and we stayed there for a while. We would hide in the basement when we saw those things out in the yard. Dad had put boards on all the windows and they would come up on the porch sometimes. We were running out of food and Dad went out to find out what was going on. We were supposed to stay in the basement until he came back but we went upstairs after two days. Mom said that he wasn't coming back. She decided that she would go out and look for some food. She told me to keep the door locked. She made me promise not to open the door three times. "

Lizzie was weeping now and Carol could guess how all this would end up but didn't say anything. Hershel had showed her how to clean wounds too many times to think that you can leave anything there to fester. Lizzie went on, "I could see through the windows but Mika was too short to see what was going on. Mom was walking down the driveway and I could see that there weren't any of those things around. She turned and waved and that is when I saw them on our porch and in the yard and in the driveway. She started back toward me but she got bit. She kept on going and I saw the blood when she got bit the second time. She made it to the door and pounded on it while they bit at her. I wouldn't open the door for her. I took Mika downstairs but I could hear her screaming. I promised that I wouldn't open the door. I did. Dad came back the next day and they had wandered off enough so that he could get inside. He grabbed us and put us in the car and we drove out before they got us, but I saw my mother as one of those things. I see her in my nightmares just watching me drive past just like I see her blood on the porch floor as we left the cabin."

Lizzie stopped talking and Carol wished that she could make that memory go away for her. You have to live with the things that you have done. Carol was beginning to understand why Lizzie had been so reluctant to put down walkers; she wanted to believe that her mother was still alive inside of that dead body.

Carol could only say what she knew to be true, "You were right to keep the door closed. She was already bitten. If you opened the door the others would have killed you and Mika. Your mother would not have wanted that. I am so sorry that happened to you. It really hurts, doesn't it? Did you know that I had a daughter?" The slide show that never stopped hurting started to unfold in her mind. Lizzie nodded; she had heard Carol talk about her little girl to Michonne before. "We were hiding under cars when a herd was passing by on a highway. I could see her under the car next to mine and Carl's mother was holding me there until the walkers passed through. Sophia got scared and crawled out and over the guard rail. Carl's dad found her and sent her back to our group while he took out the walkers. She never made it back to us and I just sat there waiting her everybody else to find her. That's my nightmare, being so weak and helpless that I couldn't save my little girl from a walker."

Lizzie asked, "You never saw her again?"

Carol said, "I saw her as a walker but that was not my daughter. She had died before that. That was a dead body but that wasn't my little girl. I believe that Sophia is in heaven. I hate that I was so weak and you hate that you were so strong. I tried to be so strong that nothing could hurt me but that didn't work out well for me. Lizzie, I am so glad that you were strong because you and Mika are alive. You saved Mika and yourself. I am glad that you are here with me and all the other people that love you."

Lizzie whispered, "Do you think my mother could ever forgive me?"

Carol answered, "She made you promise three times for a reason. She wanted you to live. She ran toward you and Mika because going to you was her first instinct, but she didn't really want you to open that door. I believe that Sophia would want me to forgive myself for being weak and your mother would want you to forgive yourself for being strong."

Lizzie said, "I want it to go away."

Carol said, "It won't go away completely, but you can start filling up your memories with good times like riding Fledge or making a cake with me. Today is Beth's birthday and we are going to bake a cake and that is why I came down here to get you. I want you to take some icing and food coloring and make some birds for the cake."

Lizzie said, "I don't know if I can do that. Maybe I should stay in the barn for a while".

Carol was firm, "Beth needs some birds and you can do it, I know you can".

Later that night the cake was brought out and Beth had blown out a candle to represent her eighteenth birthday. Everyone complimented Lizzie on her charming love birds that set on a brown branch and sang sweet love songs to one another. Brendan and Beth smiled at each other and went to the piano and sang for everyone. Lizzie smiled at Carol and knew that both of them were adding a happy time to their memories.


	17. Mark Twain

**Did you know that Mark Twain literally means "measure of two"? It meant that your boat was in deep enough water to be safe. This chapter is just sort of a catch all for fluff and stuff about my two favorite couples and a little development for the Carl and Lizzie friendship. Twain means two so each couple take measure of how they feel about each other. Don't struggle too hard to understand. So don't have high expectations and you won't be disappointed. **

Mark Twain

Carol was nearly ready to leave for a run with Daryl, Jesse, and Michonne, but she took a detour to go upstairs to check on the girls before she left. Carl was already downstairs eating breakfast and listening for Judith who was still asleep. Carol just wanted to give a quick peek before she left and found Mika still asleep and Lizzie reading. Lizzie looked up and gave a half heartened smile and Carol sat down on the bed beside her, "Lizzie, don't worry. I am going with Daryl, Michonne, and Jesse. They are like super heroes. We will be back before you know it". Carol hugged her and smoothed the hair out of her eyes. Lizzie nodded, and Carol slid off the bed and kissed Mika on the forehead.

Lizzie got dressed and went downstairs to find Carl reading. "Caught you in the act of reading, how do you plead, guilty or not guilty?" Carl looked up, "Guilty, but if I am found in possession of a book at least I am not addicted". Lizzie checked out the book "The Horse and his Boy" by C.S. Lewis. "One is too much and a thousand isn't enough, you may already be hooked. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret and feed your habit," she teased. Carl rolled his eyes; he blamed his reading on being cooped up with adults and two girls. Just then he heard Judith cry and he put the book down and headed off to take care of Judith. Lizzie found Carl to be annoying and patronizing but she did get that taking care of your little sister thing he had. He had Judith and she had Mika.

….

Michonne drove and Jesse rode shotgun. He was in one of those annoying cheerful moods and sat almost sideways in the truck so that he could continue his conversation with Carol. They were always easy with one another and he loved to tell stories about their grandmother. Jesse was a natural born storyteller and Carol hung on every word because Jesse could tell her about all those years that she lost with her grandmother. Occasionally, Carol would tell a story about both grandparents because she had vivid memories about her grandfather, Jamie McAllister as well as her grandmother. Jesse had no memories of Jamie McAllister and he liked to listen to Carol tell stories about Jamie and Nancy. Carol thought that Jesse was more like Jamie McAllister than the rest of his grandchildren. Jamie had taught English at the high school and loved to tell a good story. Grandma Nancy had laughed one time and told Carol that she could listen to Jamie's stories over and over because he never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Michonne and Daryl listened. Michonne listened and occasionally her usually enigmatic face would barely form itseld into a smile. Daryl listened and watched Carol's face as she reacted to Jesse's story; a happy Carol was a happy Daryl.

As they got closer to the town they had chosen to scavenge the mood shifted to more serious business. They were there to pick up supplies that they could use and that they could use to barter for the things that would need to get through the winter. Carol was on a personal mission to find enough salt to use in canning and for barter. Their vegetable garden was going well and they would need salt to can for the winter but she also knew that she could barter the salt for food and supplies. They had driven the Suburban and pulled a trailer so that this run could be as profitable as possible.

There was no one person in charge; they had scavenged this town three days ago and battled a good number of walkers. There were several places that they hadn't touched and they had already planned out entrance and exit roads. Michonne took the chosen route in and parked the vehicle so that it faced two of the exit roads. Everyone hopped out and grabbed the plastic bins in the back of the Sub. These bins would allow them to collect lots of small items and then seal them up with bungee cords. Those bins were set on the trailers and locked in with preset bungee cords.

Michonne and Jesse went in first and Carol followed. Daryl would be on guard. Their first stop was a dollar store with the windows broken out. There were walkers inside but between the three of them they were dispatched. The place was a wreck but Carol and Michonne took their bins to the storerooms in back. They found boxes of unopened goods in back and Carol went back and got the dolly on the trailer and Jesse brought those boxes out. Daryl was finding the walkers manageable so they had enough time to make a run through the store. Carol found salt, sugar, spices and put those in bins for Jesse to take out. Michonne was filling bins with soap and toiletries. The batteries were gone but they loaded a bin full of socks and underwear. Carol and Michonne worked together to find over the counter medicines that had been ransacked mostly for materials to make meth and for cough medicines. They were able to find enough to make it worth their time and when Daryl gave the signal Michonne grabbed the bin and they fled to the vehicle. Jesse and Daryl were fighting zombies and Michonne started the car while Carol loaded the bin in the back of the Sub. Michonne drove slowly and Daryl and Jesse ran faster than the walkers and jumped in. The group was jubilant, but this day was just getting started. The next stop was a pharmacy and had been looted already but worth picking through for barter. This time Michonne was out and the other three went in. There was only one walker inside and Carol found it lurking toward the back. Jesse checked the restrooms and storage areas and Carol and Daryl scavenged together. He went over the bar into the pharmacist's area and picked up all that the looters left while Carol filled a bin full of bandages, first aid supplies, and over the counter medicines. Daryl gave the bins to Jesse who wheeled them back to the trailer and secured them there. Carol went to the book and magazine section and loaded it. Daryl found the alcoholic beverage sections and loaded what had been left behind. One more bin full of toiletries and they were out.

Jesse and Daryl scavenged for fuel on the parking lot while Carol and Michonne stood guard. Carol was looking at a piece good shop and wanted to check it out. Daryl and Jesse were skeptical but they were willing to go with her instincts. It had never been looted and no walkers were inside. Carol scarfed up needles, threads, yarns, fabrics, and several portable sewing machines.

Michonne went to the next stop, a farmhouse outside of town with a large steel building located behind it and a barn beside it. Daryl had noticed the farmhouse on a previous run; it looked like a place prepared for hard times. Michonne backed up the driveway and Jesse and Daryl checked out the house. The two dead inside had made a choice to die as people the pistol still lying beside the woman. Daryl covered them with a blanket. He felt as if he were taking their things that he should show respect.

Carol found that they had hoarded food and medicines. Daryl had went to the basement and found a few weapons, some whiskey and boxes of salt and sugar. Michonne found five water purification units in a closet. Jesse went through the upstairs bedrooms and attic and found them pretty empty.

Daryl opened the steel building and they found farming equipment inside and a truck that had been almost new when the ZA hit and there were seven five gallon gas tanks. There were also two natural gas generators stored there. They were able to get the truck started and they loaded all the gasoline and natural gas generators there. They also found lots of hand tools and they loaded them. They took a run through the barn. There were no animals inside but they found grain stored there. They were running out of room but Daryl and Jesse grabbed the grain. The hay was still good and they knew they were coming back.

Daryl and Jesse grabbed some picks and shovels and buried the dead. The grave wasn't deep but they wanted to show respect for the two humans who had opted for death as people. Carol and Michonne found that the old well pump still worked and they got pumped up a barrel of water for them to clean up and they got the food out that they had brought. Before they ate, they went back to the grave and recited the 23rd Psalm together holding hands in a semicircle.

They ate outside on the porch and sat watching the road and their surroundings. It had been a good run and they had plenty for barter. It was time to load up and take off for home and hearth up in the mountains.

Jesse and Michonne lost the toss so they had to take the truck with the trailer while Daryl gleefully jumped into a vehicle that still had a new smell to it. Carol got in the truck and smiled at Daryl. He said, "Move on over here, Carol" and she slid over to sit closer to him. Jesse eased the truck out onto the road and Daryl drove around him to be in the lead. The way back to the highway was clear but there was little conversation until they were on the larger road where they could travel faster.

Carol leaned against Daryl and said, "They made the right choice for them. He was taking chemotherapy and she didn't want to go it alone. "

Daryl was watching the road ahead and kept his eyes forward, "I couldn't do that to you. Ever."

Carol had felt the love in that house, "He couldn't but she was more pragmatic. He was sick and she wanted them to go out together. They had had a lifetime together and they weren't afraid to die."

Daryl ventured a look at her, "So you are saying that you could do it".

Carol had been thinking about it since she had entered the house, "Yes, if I would never let you suffer and then die just to turn into a walker. I don't think they did it the first day, and they would have decided together. Now let's talk about something else. "

Daryl squeezed her leg, "I love you and I am willing to go to great lengths to show you this evening".

Carol laughed, "Great lengths? Don't talk game if you are not prepared to back it up".

Daryl smiled, "Just bring some game of your own, Carol." She kissed him and whispered in his ear, "I love games where both of us win."

Jesse was glad when they were back on the highway; there was always a possibility of an ambush or road block on the way to the highway and while the danger was still there a four lane highway was usually safer. Michonne relaxed and sat with her back against the door and her legs toward Jesse. It had been a good run and they were on their way home, though Michonne knew she was able to touch home with her feet. Home was where Jesse was and that was the truth that she had not quite been able to say to him. Jesse turned and smiled and she felt the falling away feeling that she got when she saw him look at her when she wasn't expecting it.

Jesse saw that sudden defenseless look in Michonne's eyes. He knew that she loved him and that it wasn't easy for her to articulate her feelings. He squeezed her shin and said, "Good run".

Michonne said, "Daryl came back for us at the prison. Carol and the girls took this vehicle and went to some cabin and waited for him to come to her. Daryl carried Judith out of the prison and Carl and I went with him. We found and lost the Greene's. We walked all night with a herd right behind us and Carol was supposed to leave at 10:00 and instead of leaving she came after us. I'll never forget looking down that lonely road and knowing that the walkers were catching up with us. Then, I saw this big ole bomb coming right at us. We got in and Daryl gave the finger to the herd behind us."

She stopped and took a drink of water. Jesse waited; he had heard some of this story but felt like there was something else to come. Michonne went on, "I sat in that vehicle and knew that I had been given another chance to have a life and I promised myself to stop running and to find a home somewhere. I knew that Carol had come after Daryl because she loved him. The night that I met you in the barn I thought that you were a good looking man. Then later, I thought you were a good man and that I wanted to be with you. I know now why Carol came after Daryl, not because she couldn't find her way here without him. She came after him because he was her home. I know now that I would turn back for you because Jesse Graham I love you and you are home to me. "

Jesse smiled and slowed the truck and stopped it on the side of the road. He pulled her by her legs close to him. He waved at Carol and Daryl and kissed Michonne thoroughly. "Good to know. Now will you marry me?"

Michonne nodded and Jesse started the truck again. "Let's take both of us home, my Nubian Queen", Jesse said.

Carl and Lizzie cleaned the horse stalls and gave them water and food. The horse meadow was behind the barn and they had taken the horses out there for a couple of hours. The fences weren't as secure as the one around the barn so they were only left out there when someone could watch them. Mika had gotten bored and went back to the house but Lizzie and Carl had spent the time talking about books, horses, and just a little bit about their old life. They both knew that wasn't never coming back and you only had here and now. Carl found himself smiling at Lizzie and thinking that it felt good to have a friend.

**Are you still with me or dozed off somewhere in the middle? The muse wants a little comfort food right now and this chapter was it. The next chapter will be radically different but don't fear. These three couples will be alright.**


	18. Down So Long

**The muse says Happy Thanksgiving and we are giving you a chapter in which our characters are neither happy nor very thankful. I am resurrecting Andrea because I thought killing her off on the show was incredibly short sighted and I liked Andrea. I don't like Rick but have decided not to kill him off slowly and painfully. Instead, Rick will land on go directly to hell and without a get out of hell card. Or maybe not, let's see how this all plays out.**

Down So Long It looks Like Up to Me

Rick woke up to a splitting headache and saw that he was in a small room with a small window. There was a small cot in the room and two buckets. One had water and one was empty. He sat up and tried to think where he could possibly be. The Governor had attacked the prison with a tank and everything fell apart in a matter of seconds. The prison fences were knocked by the tank and in the chaos he had lost Carl and Judith. He had found his way out of the prison by a whole in the fence and managed to escape the Governor and the herd of walkers that all that commotion had attracted. He knew by the size of that swarm of walkers that nothing would be left alive at the prison. The life that they had created there was like his ill-fated garden, ground underneath the feet of the walking dead.

Rick had found himself walking in the direction of his hometown. He had lost everything, his wife, his children, his friends, and the only person that he cared about that might still be alive was Morgan. So Rick headed toward Morgan. He was miles from the prison and it was getting dark when he heard a noise behind him. He had turned back and something had hit him in the head.

Rick tried to see out the window but the view from the small window showed and empty field with a strong fence around it. The room was made out of cinder blocks and the door was steel. His hand was throbbing and he took off the bandage that Hershel had put on to find that the hand was red and swollen. He wondered if the water was safe to drink but knew that he had no choice but to drink it anyway. Rick looked at the empty bucket and figured that he would be here awhile.

It was the next morning before a uniformed man opened the door. Rick sat on the cot and the man said, "Get up and hold your hands out." Rick's hands were tied with a rope and he was led from his cell by the rope. There was another man waiting in the hall and he got behind Rick in line. There were several rooms along this corridor and eventually they came to a wider hallway and through an open doorway.

Rick saw this was a small auditorium and that there were three men sitting on chairs on stage as he was led down toward them. The two men who had brought him stepped away from him. The men were all dressed in army fatigues but they seemed a little sloppy to be soldiers to Rick. The dark haired man in the middle seemed to be in charge and he said, "I need a reason not to kill you. If I don't kill you I am going to make you a slave." Rick said, "I am strong". Rick had decided that he should just go with strong and stupid.

The man's eyes narrowed, "I can use strong, but I will not accept disobedience. You break the rules we either chop off body parts or we kill you. Do you understand?"

Rick nodded, "Yes, I understand."

The man asked, "What were you doing wandering around out there?"

Rick answered, "I lived with a group at a prison near there. Another group attacked the prison with a tank and when the fences were knocked down walkers came in."

The man nodded, "My men said that there had been a battle. Nothing was left after the swarm went through it. What did you do at prison?"

Rick said, "I worked in the garden. I raised pigs and vegetables".

The man said, "Take him back to his cell for today and tomorrow take him out and feed him. Then put him to work in our garden. We can always use a good field hand".

Soon Rick was back in his cell staring at the walls and wondering if escape was even possible. He was hungry and weak. He thought about Carl, he knew that he had went to Judith when the attack happened and he thought he had seen Daryl which made little sense because Daryl had just left with Carol. Daryl had told him that they were going to some place in North Carolina, but he couldn't remember what the name of the place was.

The next morning Rick was moved from his now fetid cell to a small barracks. This place must be some sort of National Guard facility he thought. He was given a bunk and his clothes exchanged for an orange jump suit that inmates used to wear in jails. He was allowed to keep his boots. Rick was then given a peanut butter sandwich and some water.

His guard took him out to the gardens. There were many acres under cultivation and many men and women were working under the watchful eye of armed guards. He was given a hoe and assigned to an area. The guard warned him, "You either work for you don't eat." Rick worked and at lunch they lined up and were given a bowl. Then you walked down by a table where a woman put some watery vegetable soup in the bowl, the next woman handed you a peanut butter sandwich, and the next some water in a plastic cup. Rick took his lunch and sat with the other men. He drank the soup and ate the sandwich. He drank the water and noticed that everyone kept the cup.

Soon they were back to work. Rick's hand was hurting but he was afraid to stop and check it out. It was a hot day and there was a break for water about two hours later. Everyone took their cups and got water. Then they worked another three hours in the sun. Then they were allowed to go to their barracks. The barracks were bunks with mattresses. No pillows, no sheets, and no blankets. The exhausted men were allowed to rest until dinner. They were fed in a cafeteria. The servers were women but the guards stood close by. You went through a cafeteria line with a bowl and your cup. Rick followed the guy who slept on the bunk under his in line. He had introduced himself as Bryce and he didn't seem to mind Rick following him around. Brice picked up a bowl and Rick did too. They walked down the line and were given a bowl of beans and some cornbread. Everyone was given one slice of bacon and a bowl of applesauce. Rick automatically thanked the woman who handed him the applesauce and looked up to the vacant face of Andrea Harrison. Rick gaped at her and she shot him a brief warning glare and lapsed back to her former wide eyed stare. Rick went on and got a cup of water. He and Bryce sat down together and Rick managed to get a seat in which he could watch Andrea. She looked slightly retarded and he would have sworn that she had suffered some sort of brain damage if she hadn't shot him that warning glare.

Rick asked, "Who is the blond woman giving out the applesauce?" Bryce glanced over and said, "I have heard them call her Andy. We aren't allowed to talk to the servers. They are slave like us and the women have to service the soldiers. So stop looking at her. Don't do anything that bring any attention to yourself".

They were marched back to the barracks and Bryce asked the guard for some soap and water to clean his hand. The guard sent one of the trustees to the cafeteria to get what they needed and even helped Bryce clean it.

The next day was a repeat of the first, and the next, and the next. Bryce had warned Rick that escape was impossible. The guards had guns and would use them. There were fences to slow you down and if you got out you had no weapons. You got hunted down and killed in front of the other slaves.

Rick watched Andrea every day and figured that she was faking being so stupid. The barrack gossip had her as the slave concubine of the head man, Colonel Kurtz. The men thought that she was beautiful but completely stupid. Rick figured that Andrea realized that being intelligent was not particularly useful as a slave. He found himself thinking about Andrea a lot, there wasn't a whole lot else to think about.

The days moved to weeks and soon he had been there for a month. His hand was better but during that month he had watched too many people collapse and die in the intense heat of a Georgia summer. There had been escape attempts that ended in public executions and Rick's only plan was to somehow become a trustee so that he could have a chance to talk to Andrea. She might have some information that they could use to get out of this.

Rick was friendly with the guard and when the trustee was moved to another barracks he was picked to be the next trustee. The guard would send him on errands from time to time, generally just to bring him water from the kitchen. Trustees were not allowed to be in most of the facility.

Rick was sent to the kitchen to get a bucket of water and wash cloth one evening. One of the men had gotten too hot that day and the guard was trying to cool him down. Rick waited while one of the kitchen workers got the water and wash rag. He got the bucket and started back to the barracks and saw Andrea standing in a doorway watching him. He spilt some water and used the rag to clean up the water. "Rick, be careful someone is always watching here", she said and she went through the door.

Rick brought the water to the guard and helped him with the sick man. Nothing seemed to cool him down and he died that night. Rick realized that he either found a way out or he would die here. Rick kept thinking about Daryl being back at the prison, Daryl had loved Judith and had kept her alive when Rick was losing it after Lori's death. Rick found himself hoping that Daryl had somehow save Carl and Judith. They would all be with Carol and Daryl if they were alive. Rick remembered telling Carol that she had been banished because he wouldn't have her around his children. Now he was praying that his children were with her and Daryl someplace in North Carolina. He couldn't remember the name of that place.

Rick found plenty of reasons to go by the cafeteria and catch glimpses of Andrea. One day he was headed back to the barracks with a treat for the guard when he saw Andrea at a door. She went inside and knew that room to be a storage room and he followed her in there. She was waiting for him and locked the door behind him. She whispered, "I got away from Woodbury and Philip was chasing me. I got captured and dragged back here. Tell me what happened."

Rick gave her a quick summary of what had happened including the fall of the prison and how he came to be here. Andrea was saddened to know that Woodbury had been burned and that flu had killed so many. He told her that he had faith that Daryl and Carol had taken his children to someplace in North Carolina but he couldn't remember where. Andrea said, "Oh, dear God, you can't remember?" Then all at once when she said "Oh, dear", Rick remembered Daryl saying the name of the place was "Adair" and Rick had thought that it sounded like Oh dear to him. Rick's face had lit up and he shared the name with Andrea. Just remembering the name of the place seemed to give him some hope that he might see them again. Rick wished he could stay all evening but he knew he had to get back to the barracks before he was missed.

Andrea opened the door and found the hallway to be empty and she motioned Rick out. It was more than a week before he was able to talk to her again. One of the servers seemed to have something going with the guard and Rick was sent to get the treats that she would save for him. The cafeteria area was always quiet in the evenings and Rick was on his way back to the barracks when he said Andrea at the door of the storage room. He went in silently and they talked for a few minutes about escape and he left.

That night he lay in his stinking bed and thought about her plan. It might get them both killed but they were both on borrowed time. If Kurtz ever found out that his idiot concubine was a civil right attorney he would have her killed. Rick knew that if he found out that his slow gardener was a former deputy sheriff with real fighting skills he was a dead man. Rick was going to trust Andrea. What other hope did her have?

The next day when she handed out the applesauce he nodded to her. Her face stayed motionless but he saw the old glint in her eyes. They had to wait until the time was right but sooner or later the two of them were going to make a break for freedom and Adair, North Carolina.


	19. Things Are Looking Up

**Rick and Andrea are in very dire straits. They are both being held as slaves by a well-armed war lord, but they have some sort of a plan to escape. So as bad as it is for them….**

Things Are Looking Up

Rick walked through his day like a robot; the only thing that seemed to make his life bearable was the occasional glimpse of Andrea. Just seeing Andrea r reminded him that they had something beyond their present circumstances to look forward to. They were risking their lives in hopes of having a life worth living. Rick was getting antsy; it had been over a week since he had talked with Andrea and he hadn't seen her for a couple of days.

It had rained all day and the men had been restricted to the barracks. The guards took small group to go into the other parts of the facility to clean. Rick was included in a crew that was cleaning the cafeteria and he could see Andrea moving back and forth in the kitchen. Rick just worked as if he had nothing else on his mind and waited for a chance to talk to Andrea.

He was sent to the kitchen to ask for some more water and soap, and he waited there while one of the workers ran the water but went back into another area to find some more soap. Andrea drifted by and said, "Tonight" and he nodded as she made eye contact. It was on and one way or the other this was his last day as a slave. He squeezed her hand and smiled to think that was the first time he had actually touched her since the day she had come to the prison to visit. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand back. Then, he saw the blank look on her face come back and she drifted off to the back of the kitchen area.

That evening he ate his meager dinner and saw that Andrea was working as usual. She gave him the barest of glances but he knew from her expression that it was still on. He knew the part that he must play and he had been practicing it for weeks. After dinner Rick hung out with the barracks guard a friendly guy named Mike. Rick had been cultivating this friendship for weeks, convincing the guard that he had insomnia and couldn't sleep some nights. So Rick would talk with the guard for hours and run errands for him while the others slept. Rick waited until it was just after midnight and then he reminded Mike that his friend had left him a special treat in the cafeteria. Mike asked him to go get it and Rick went to the storage room and found the pudding that Andrea had left there. The barracks was completely silent when he went back and he stopped talking while Mike had his treat. Very shortly after that Mike began to fall asleep. Rick moved Mike to a chair leaning against the wall. He looked very much as he did during his watch if you weren't close. Then Rick went silently back to the storage area and found scissors and hot water. He shaved quickly and put on the fatigues worn by the soldiers. He hid his old orange outfit in the trash and took off to rendezvous with Andrea. She had drawn a map of their meeting point and he found her waiting in the dark shadows. She was dressed in dark clothes and her hair covered with a hat. She led him through to an exit and out onto the parking lot. Kurtz's personal vehicle was there and she had the keys. There was a bag beside the Envoy. She slid the bag in the back and took the wheel. Rick sat in the passenger's seat with his hat pulled down. Andrea drove the vehicle toward the gate and smiled at the guard. "He wants to take a drive out to the lake again tonight". The guard was too busy looking down her blouse to do more than nod at the silent passenger. He opened the gate and waved goodbye. Andrea waved goodbye and drove off carefully. She drove about a mile and stopped the car and asked Rick to drive. She vomited onto the side of the road while Rick waited.

Andrea gave him directions toward Adair. She said they couldn't afford to ditch the Envoy because the soldier had disabled all the cars in the immediate area. Slave that ran off would not find much of a way out of the pine forest that had surrounded the facility. Rick didn't have any idea how much head start they would have but he knew that he would rather risk the walkers and the other predators than linger in this place any longer.

They drove until the dawn began to break and they were far away from the plantation. Rick began to look for more gasoline and pulled the vehicle behind a house. Rick motioned to Andrea to be quiet as he could hear the sound of vehicles coming. They moved into the woods behind the house so that they could watch the roads. A few seconds later they saw a small convoy of army vehicles drive past on the road. Andrea had said that the guards would become suspicious in an hour or so if Kurtz did not return. Several times in the last few weeks she had convinced Kurtz to go for ride late at night. Kurtz didn't sleep well and he had found that helped him sleep.

Rick wondered aloud, "Maybe Kurtz woke up and sounded the alarm." Andrea looked strained but said, "He didn't wake up". He looked at her and remembered the vomiting on the side of the road. "I cut his throat before I left', she said.

Andrea got the bag from the car and they shared the water bottle. She had gathered some food and a tube to siphon gas. There was a pistol and a knife. Rick asked, "Do you think we should lay low while they look for us? She shook her head, "I would like to put some distance between us and the Envoy in case they start looking. They are close right now. Let's just check the car to see if there is anything we can use." Rick found a pistol and some ammo in the glove box and there was a machete in the trunk.

They wanted to stay parallel to this highway because it intersected with a highway that ran toward North Carolina. They spent the day walking and talking. Rick realized that it had been a long time since he had really talked with anyone. The odd conversation with Carol maybe right before he left her about Lori's awful pancakes and Carol talking about her life with Ed came to mind. Andrea was letting herself relax a little. The last time she had been so comfortable with anyone was when she and Michonne had been traveling together.

That night they spent in a house that still had the for sale sign on the front lawn. The commode flushed and they ate some canned foods side by side in the family room. They slept side by side in the same room and woke up side by side the next morning. They spent the next morning looking for a vehicle and fighting walkers. They found a propane grill with enough propane to boil some water to drink and to heat up some canned food. They found a vehicle and some gasoline and that afternoon they put more space between them and their past.

The next night they spent in a farmhouse. There was a well and they pumped up enough water to clean up. Rick found some clothing that fit and took a bath. Andrea took a bath and found some clothes much too large for her but she wore them anyway. There was a good chance that they could be in Adair, North Carolina tomorrow. They both knew that the chances that they would ever see their own people again was about as likely as the zombies all turning to dust overnight but for some reason they wouldn't to arrive reasonably clean.

Rick kept watch because he couldn't fall asleep anyway. He thought about his life since he woke up from his coma. He had lost Lori twice, once by his coldness toward her and his failure to forgive her and second by her hemorrhaging to death on a filthy floor in the prison. He had lost Carol once by his coldness toward her and second by banishing her. There was a pattern in his life with women. What would happen if they did find Carol? Could he say to her the things that he hadn't said to Lori? Things like I am sorry that I judged you and forgive me for hurting you?

Rick thought about Andrea. He didn't even know how to name what she meant to him. It was something between the love he had had for Lori and the friendship he had had with Carol. She had killed Kurtz instead of drugging him. She wasn't perfect. Would he be compelled to go on another rampage and ruin this relationship too? He didn't want to lose whatever he had with Andrea. He had been happier these last few days than he had been in a long time.

Andrea wasn't asleep. She was tired but she couldn't quite get to sleep. She was worried how Rick was going to handle not finding anyone in Adair. Rick had had a son and a daughter to love and to lose. He had lost so much already, could he take much more? He had been honest with her about losing it after Lori died. Andrea wasn't sure how she felt about Rick. She just knew he was important to her and that she cared about him, but she intended to be celibate for the rest of her life. A man like Rick could never forgive her for screwing the Governor and for basically being Kurtz's whore. She had chosen to do both those things. She had thought that the Governor was a tough leader who was keeping civilization alive at Woodbury and she had been attracted to the man she thought he was. Screwing Kurtz had been a cold blooded decision; she had figured that being with Kurtz meant that she only had to please one man and not an army. Rick would never understand that.

Andrea fell asleep and woke up in the middle of the night. She took watch and Rick went to sleep beside of her. It was a warm night but she was glad to be able to feel his familiar warmth close to her. The bath had helped to knock back a really extreme case of body odor but she had gotten almost used to that. The smell was still there tonight, but it was fainter and you had to be close to catch it.

Tomorrow they would take the highway to Adair. It was like "The Lady or the Tiger" you just opened the door and hoped it wasn't the tiger. Andrea hoped that Adair was a good place and that Carol and Daryl were there with Carl and Judith. Rick had told her that Carol was taking care of two little girls. They should be there too. And of course Glenn and Maggie and Beth. Hershel would be the kindly grandfather that everyone wanted. Michonne would be there and she would forgive Andrea for not trusting her. They would all sit around and have dinner together and live happily ever after. Andrea cried because dreams just never came true.


	20. That Is What Tigers Do

**I love Michonne, Andrea, and Carol (MAC) together too much to keep them apart. This chapter means that the circle of the family is unbroken but like all families it just gets wider all the time**.

**That's What Tigers Do**

Carol helped Maggie load the last bit of her and Glenn's things in the back of the truck. Brendan had already taken Beth's possessions and they were over at their new house. There were two farms beyond Jesse's and Brian McKenzie had moved into the first one, and Maggie, Glenn, and Beth were moving into the second one. Jesse had given his extra fencing and he and Daryl had gone on a run to get enough to encircle the farmhouse and the barn. Emily and Glenn had worked together to do the solar panels so that there would be some electricity to the house. Daryl and Tyreese had put in two wood stoves that should keep the house warm in the winter. Carol was sad to see them go but she knew that Maggie and Glenn should have their own place.

Carol knew that she would miss Beth terribly, but Brendan was building a log cabin between Maggie and Glenn's and his father's house. Beth would live there eventually between her sister and his father. Their mountain top community was becoming larger and safer. Everyone on the mountain had a weapon and would use it to protect themselves and others.

Brian was teaching Tyreese how to be a blacksmith. Tyreese was teaching Brian how to do woodworking. They had become good friends and they both kept an affectionate eye on Sasha who was still hanging with Josh.

Carol kissed and hugged Maggie and Glenn goodbye and waved as they left. Daryl had started the fire under the water heater and she was going to wash all the bed clothes from those two bedrooms. Daryl waited on the porch for her, "They'll be fine, don't cry", he said as he hugged her and wiped her tears away.

"I know that they should be in their own place, but this house will be so empty," Carol said.

"Yeah, two adults and four children is a damn empty place, and it ain't like Michonne and Jesse won't be here all the time, "Daryl teased. "Somebody else will probably show up before we know it."

Carol laughed, "My nose has itched all day, and my grandmother always said that meant that someone was coming".

Daryl said, "I have set the tables up for supper tonight. It looks like the weather will be great. Everybody is bringing plenty of food and maybe a little moonshine." Carol and Daryl were hosting a pot luck supper for Glenn, Maggie, and Beth. Gifts were appreciated but not required. It was a house warming party and a chance to socialize. Everyone would have a good time but they would be back in their houses by dark. Daryl and Carol had brought some furniture from that farmhouse they had scavenged. Daryl said that furniture was filled with love and Maggie and Glenn would be blessed to have it. Carol had brought back two sets of dishes from there all in immaculate condition and a large collection of handmade patchwork quilts that had been stored in cedar chests. They brought back the cedar chests too. Carol had kept the quilt with the double wedding ring pattern to give to Beth when she and Brendan married. Carol kept a quilt for Lizzie, Mika, and Judith too.

Daryl and Carl took the four-wheeler and a small trailer to cut up a downed tree for firewood this winter. Lizzie and Mika helped with the laundry, cleaning, and with Judith. Carol didn't want to start cooking until she was finished with everything else.

….

Andrea and Rick scavenged enough gas to fill their vehicle and they started off. They saw enough walkers to be cautious and they backtracked around a herd or two but it was manageable. Rick decided that he should tell Andrea about how he left things with Carol. She sat quietly as he described how the walkers pushed against the fences, how the flu had struck, finding Karen and David killed, and Carol confessing to killing them. Rick told her that he had taken Carol for a run and banished her on her own.

Andrea didn't say anything for a long time but finally said, "You are telling me that Carol, our Carol is a murderer?" Rick nodded. She went on, "The only chance you have to ever find your children and our friends is by going to a place where you think Carol and Daryl might be?" Rick nodded again. "And what do you think will happen when you show up?"

Rick started talking, "I am going to ask Carol for forgiveness. First, I am asking for forgiveness for ever asking her if she did it. Second, I am asking for forgiveness for banishing her. Third, I am asking for forgiveness for forgetting who she is inside. I judged her on one mistake and forgot that Carol is a kind and loving person."

Andrea said, "I would go with that; Carol loves with more intensity than anyone I have ever known. She would do anything to protect the people she loves. She is a care taker and if she did that it wasn't in cold blood because Carol doesn't have an ounce of cold blood in her body. They must have been nearly dead and she did it to keep them from suffering. Carol will forgive you and that is why I know that it was done out of kindness not coldness.

Rick nodded, "I remember when I first started as a deputy sheriff. I was working with an older guy who kept telling me to never turn my back on the bad guys. He liked to use stories to make his point. One day he told me a story of a monkey that wanted to cross a river but he couldn't swim. A tiger was swimming in the river and he told the monkey to jump on his back and he would take the monkey across the river. The monkey was afraid but the tiger told him that he wouldn't hurt him. They get half way across and the tiger stops and says, "I am going to eat you now." The monkey said, "You promised not to hurt me." The tiger laughed and said, "I am a tiger and that is what tigers do". And then he ate him. The old guy said that some people are tigers and you just had to know that they are going to do what tigers do. I think I forgot that not everyone is a tiger. This new world didn't make Carol a tiger and she doesn't do what tigers do."

Andrea said, "I told you that I killed Kurtz last night. I killed Jed White too. There were three guys who ran things at the top. Kurtz was the top guy and he was all about running the place as cheaply as he could. He would sell the slaves that he didn't need in the winter. Jed White was truly evil. He enjoyed watching the sufferings of others; no woman would go willingly back to him after the first time. The third guy was Rob Johnson and he is a reasonably decent guy who wanted to do away with armed guards on the workers. He wanted to make a place where people could stay and work if they wanted and go if they wanted. Most of those people have nowhere else to go and they would stay there just to have some kind of home. I killed Jed White so that he couldn't hurt the ones we left behind. "

Rick thought that over, "Killing Kurtz and White doesn't make you a tiger".

Andrea said, "Good to know". She pointed out to Rick that the farther they went in the mountains the less walkers they saw along the way. They were still an hour or so away from Adair and they could tell that it was cooler here than in the lowlands.

Andrea and Rick didn't talk much after that. The hills turned into some mountains and the pine trees were now mostly hardwoods. The roads were clear of cars and trucks though there were plenty on the side of the road. It was middle of the afternoon when they saw the roadblock. They got out of their vehicle and began walking toward the concrete barrier. Rick took Andrea's hand and noticed how cold it was. The conversation was short and simple. They were welcomed to Adair and given directions to McAllister Mountain. They were still holding hands when they walked back to the vehicle though Andrea started imitating the music from "Dueling Banjos". Rick laughed, "That movie scared the hell out of me when I was a kid. Shut the hell up, Andy".

Rick drove carefully on the curvy road. Andrea pointed out that there were gardens beside of every house and the houses had fences around them. There met a truck on the road and the driver waved at them as he passed by. Rick kept going and Andrea pointed out the three log houses behind a strong looking fence. The next house should be the one they were looking for. They stopped at the locked gate and Rick and Andrea got out to see if this was the right place.

Daryl and Carl were coming back with a load of wood when they saw the strange vehicle on the road, and Carl yelled, "That's Dad". Carl jumped from the four-wheeler and ran to the gate to let Rick and Andrea in. Carl hugged his Dad and told them to drive in and he would lock the gate behind them.

Daryl had gone into the house to tell Carol. She and the girls had just finished the cleaning and laundry. Everything was clean and it was time to start cooking. Daryl said, "Rick and Andrea are at the gate, Carl's bringing them in." Carol nodded but couldn't quite make a coherent sentence. She did pick up Judith from her playpen and carried her out to meet her dad.

Carol and Daryl walked out onto the long porch followed by Lizzie and Mika. Rick and Andrea were just getting out of a small suv. Carol felt the tears flow; nothing mattered but that Andrea was alive. Carol carried Judith to Carl and handed Judith to him. She moved to Andrea and hugged her tightly, saying to her, "You are home now." Andrea hugged Carol back and let her own tears flow.

Daryl felt the tears in eyes and wiped them away. Carl was showing his dad that Judith had grown a little since she got here and Rick was smiling at his baby girl. Daryl wanted to kick Rick's ass to the gate and beyond but knew that Carol wouldn't let him.

Carol led Andrea toward the house and she turned to Rick, "You are home now too, Rick". He started, "Carol'. She shook her head at him, "We'll talk later, right now you all need a shower and some clean clothes. Come on in now."

Andrea followed Carol into the house. The great room had windows with bars on them but lots of sunshine came through. There were leather couches grouped around a fireplace on one side and a very long table with many chairs in the dining room area. There was a large kitchen and a set of stairs going up and a hall way going on back through the house. The space was clean and comfortable. This was a home and she tried to remember what it was like to live in a house with normal people.

Rick sat down on one of the leather couches and Carl sat beside him and handed Judith to him. She settled down in Rick's lap and he smelled her hair. It was clean and smelled like Ivory soap. She smelled like Judith, his baby girl.

Carol took Rick and Andrea upstairs and showed them their rooms. She had just put some of the toiletries that they had recently scavenged in the rooms. She offered to wash their clothes and there was some clothing in the closets. They had collected clothes from stores on their runs and Carol would wash the clothes and put them in the closets.

Andrea enjoyed the hot water and thought about the shower in the CDC and how wonderful it had been to just be clean again. There was going to be some sort of party tonight for Glenn, Maggie, and Beth who had just moved into a house. Michonne would be her too.

Rick showered and shaved. He had decided to be clean shaven from now on. He wanted a change. He dressed quickly and went downstairs with his dirty clothes. Carol and Daryl were working in the kitchen and he stood there on the stairway a few seconds to watch them together. Daryl looked up and Rick knew that Daryl was never going to let him hurt Carol again.

Carol smiled at him and took his dirty clothes. She also gave him some sweet tea and a sandwich to hold him over until the party. He gingerly opened the sandwich and saw that it was a cheese sandwich. Thank God it wasn't a peanut butter sandwich. Daryl waited until he was finished and then Rick went out with Daryl.

Andrea came down and drank sweet tea while she and Carol caught up with the news, Michonne was going to marry a cousin of Carol's name Jesse Graham. Glenn and Maggie were planning on having children. Beth was in love with a local boy. Hershel had died of pneumonia after the prison fell.

Andrea asked, "So what's up with you and Daryl?" Carol smiled and showed Andrea her engagement ring. "The wedding will be soon. We're just going to the local church and have someone marry us, but I already think of Daryl as my husband."

. Michonne and Jesse came over early to help out. Daryl had moved Rick and Andrea's vehicle behind the barn. Andrea was working with Carol in the kitchen when Michonne walked into the house with a big pot. Michonne saw Andrea, blinked, and kept walking as if she hadn't seen her. Andrea came around the counter and took the heavy pot out of Michonne's hands and put it on the table. "I am so glad to see you, Michonne. I have missed you every day" and Andrea hugged her tight. Michonne hugged her back. Every one including Carol hugged and cried.

Michonne introduced her to Jesse. Andrea shook his hand and took a good long look at Michonne's future husband. He was a good looking man with that golden brown skin and those blue eyes. He also looked like he could take care of himself and Michonne. Andrea smiled at him, "You mess with her and I'll cut your heart out". Jesse laughed, "I mess with her and she'll cut my heart out. I am going on out and help Daryl while you ladies have a good long talk. Welcome to McAllister Mountain."

Glenn and Maggie walked over together. Andrea was sitting with Carol and Michonne on the porch and the place was full of people but he broke into a run when he saw Andrea. He hugged her and said, "I love you Andrea". More hugging and crying happened.

The party was fun, some of the presents were gag gifts and some were useful. The food was simple but everyone enjoyed it. Everyone took off as the sun began to sink. Michonne and Jesse decided to stay the night and Rick gave them his room and he said he would bunk with Carl.

They all sat together that evening and watched the sun settled down for the night behind the blue mountains that Daryl loved. Judith went to sleep in Rick's arms and he put her to bed in her crib in Carol and Daryl's room. Carol followed him in and sat down in the chair beside her bed. He sat down in the other chair. Rick started, "Carol, I am so sorry. I should have left all of that alone. Please forgive me." Carol looked at Rick and said, "I would be afraid not to forgive you. I still love you Rick. I don't know how not to love you. I was wrong and I will spend the rest of my life with what I did. But I will also spend it with the man that I love and my girls. You and your children will always have a home here. Tomorrow we will move Judith's crib upstairs". Carol and Rick walked back to the noisy group on the porch.

Carol saw that Mika and Lizzie were tired and she smiled and held out her hand. They got up and she went upstairs with them. They got ready for bed and she kissed them goodnight. Carl and Rick followed them upstairs and Carl showed him his room with its twin beds. Rick noticed that his room had lots of books in it and was neat and clean. Carl was soon asleep but Rick lay awake listening to sounds in the house. This house had pleasant sounds, water running, people talking and laughing, and he finally was able to relax and fall asleep.

Michonne, Andrea, and Carol sat in the kitchen after everyone had gone to bed. Andrea teased Michonne about Jesse. "Just last night I was swearing to a lifetime of celibacy and one look at Jesse and I starting rethinking that". Everyone howled including Andrea. Michonne said, "Jesse had that effect on me too. What is with you and Rick? Are you together?". Andrea said primly, "We are just good friends. I told you that I am sworn to celibacy. I am not kidding".

Later, Carol crawled into bed beside of Daryl who wasn't sleeping. He had lain in the bed listening to the laughter from the three women. It was a good sound. "Daryl, I told you someone is coming," she said. "Are you and Rick okay?" he asked. "Yes", she answered and he pulled her close to him, "I love you, Carol but he had better not hurt you again".

Andrea lay down on clean sheets that smelled of the summer sun and mountain air. She found that she kind of missed Rick being close. She smiled at her declaration of eternal celibacy, but she wanted to feel clean again. Andrea was soon asleep and she had sweet dreams that night.

Jesse had woken up when Michonne came in the room. Warriors learn to sleep lightly and he had found that he slept better if she was close. "Do you know why I love you so much, Jesse?" she asked. He took a minute, but admitted, "I don't have a clue". She laughed and put her arm around him. "It's because you are so damn cuddly. Like a big ole teddy bear. My Jesse Bear." He laughed and cuddled her close and they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.


	21. Forgiving Ain't Forgetting

**I know that last chapter was long but the muse said to hit the "go" button and I did. Rick and Andrea are in the circle. This chapter will be short because some things need to be said between two friends. Carol forgave Rick because she was forgiven by Tyreese and because she is naturally a forgiving person. Daryl may forgive but he will never forget.**

Forgiving Ain't Forgetting

Breakfast the next morning was relaxed and happy. Jesse was taking Carl, Lizzie, and Mika on a long ride. Michonne, Andrea, and Carol were going to Market Day to find some things for Andrea. They would take Jude with them. Daryl frowned at their going unescorted but by now most everyone in Adair knew that Michonne and Carol were spoken for. Andrea would attract attention but she could handle herself. Daryl has asked Rick to help him cut up some more trees for the winter.

They all gathered to watch the riders go out. Jesse was taking them on a long ride so that they could exercise their horses and to see more of the mountain than they had seen before. Carol was fidgety watching them leave; she liked it when they were all within eyesight. Unbidden the image of Sophia sliding out from under that car came to mind and she just let it come. Daryl was feeling a sliver of fear himself and he grabbed her hand giving it a reassuring squeeze.

The women went into the house to finish cleaning up breakfast and to get ready for some retail therapy. Michonne had planned on going with Jesse but she wanted to spend more time with Andrea. She recognized that Andrea had lost her whole family in the ZA, bonded with the Quarry group and then was left behind by them, spent a winter with Michonne, met Philip Blake and fell for the lie that was Woodbury, left Woodbury and was captured by a paramilitary group that enslaved her, and then she had escaped slavery and reunited with her Quarry group and Michonne. Andrea could use some TLC for a while.

Daryl drove the truck and Rick took the four-wheeler and the trailer out a mountain road to fall the fallen trees. Daryl showed him how to cut the limbs and drag them out of the way. They were using power saws and cutting the tree trunks into round chunks that they were loading onto the vehicles. Ashton had a log splitter and they would use that to split the logs into usable lengths for firewood. The noise of the saw might attract a walker so you needed to pay attention to what was going all around you all the time.

Rick's muscles had been hardened by days spent in the Georgia sun working with just hand tools. This was almost a vacation, compared to that. The air was still cool from the night and there was some shade from trees. Rick figured that Daryl wanted to talk to him and this was a place that they could talk without interruption.

They stopped for a break and some water. Daryl sat down on the tail gate of the trunk and Rick sat down beside him. Daryl squirmed a bit and started talking, "Rick, I am glad that you made it out of the prison and the slave plantation, but we need to get a few things straight between us." Rick nodded.

Daryl went on, "This place is called McAllister Mountain for a reason. The McAllisters have lived up here for a very long time. Living here means being part of the McAllister Clan and it is understood that your allegiance is to the clan. Patrick McAllister is the war chief and he runs the MMB to defend Adair and this mountain. You and me are never going to be in charge. Carol is a McAllister and they love her and will protect her". Rick had met all sorts of cousins last night and it had been obvious that Carol was part of a very tightknit family.

"Rick, you broke Carol's heart when you threw her out, but you did me a big favor. I had to make a choice, Carol or the group. I chose her and that has made me a happy man. I will always love and protect Carol. I have Lizzie and Mika and I will love and protect them."

Rick found his voice, "Daryl, I asked Carol to forgive me and she did. I should have stayed out of that mess. I had plenty of time to think about all that when I was working as a slave. Some things are better left buried. I respect that Carol and the girls are your family."

Daryl took another drink of cool spring water and looked around the work they had done this morning. "I found Carl trying to save Jude in the prison. Michonne and I took turns carrying her all that day and night. Carl kept up with us. Jude kept quiet just like she knew that she shouldn't cry. We were almost done the next morning and Carol was supposed to leave without us. She came after us instead. You have your children because of what we did. They belong with us, you can be their dad but they stay here on the mountain."

Rick was getting angry, "Those are my children and I am grateful for what you did."

Daryl broke in, "We aren't going to take your children but they belong here. You know that."

Rick remembered the crib in Carol and Daryl's bedroom and the clean sweet smell of Jude when he picked her up. Carl had shown him his horse and he saw the pride and care with which the boy tended his horse. This mountain was his children's home now and if he wanted to be with his children it would have to be his home as well." Rick asked, "How is this going to work?"

"You will live at our house until we get someplace built, and there is one more thing to clear up. Andrea," Daryl said. "She might have shot me one time but she also saved Carol the night the farm fell. Andrea has been mistreated for the last time; Carol and I intend to love and protect her and we expect that from you too."

Rick shook his head, "I would have gotten myself killed the first week at the slave plantation if it wasn't for Andrea. I didn't even get to talk to her but just seeing Andrea reminded me that I had something to live for. I was a man with children and friends somewhere and if she had found a way to survive, then I could too."

"I would never have gotten out if Andrea hadn't planned the whole thing. I owe her my life. I wouldn't hurt her," Rick said, "I think she just needs some time to herself to get back on track. She is a survivor".

Daryl said, "We need to get this work done so that we can get on home." So Rick and Daryl went back to work because they both wanted to get on home. The homestead was empty and Daryl decided that they should go to market day. They took the suv that Rick and Andrea had come in down to Adair.

…

Michonne and Carol had to convince Andrea to go to Adair. She was nervous about leaving the house and meeting other people. Michonne drove and Carol beside her. Andrea sat in the back beside of Jude who was being particularly adorable this morning. Andrea had never been around babies much but she found herself laughing at Jude's joyful babble.

The market wasn't so bad, Carol and Michonne seemed to know all sorts of people that wanted to stop and talk. Andrea tried to remember names and faces but she gave up after a bit and just enjoyed being in a group of people having a good time at an outdoor market on a nice sunny day. They were looking for clothes that fit Andrea and Jude who was in some sort of growth spurt.

Carol bartered for some cheese and freshly made pasta. Andrea found some jeans and tops that fit and everything was handled through barter. Michonne did most of the negotiations; she could still use her ninja face to good advantage, but Andrea could see that she had definitely loosened up. Michonne was more laid back and Carol was much more decisive and confident than she had been at the farm.

Carol saw Daryl and Rick coming through the crowd and smiled. Daryl really hated when she came down here without him; he liked to tease her that she was too generous in her barter. Andrea saw Carol smile at Daryl and looked past him to see Rick. Michonne muttered in her ear, "Remember you gave up sex." Andrea laughed at Michonne. Rick took Jude from Andrea and they walked through the market together. They bartered for things that they needed and when Jude got tired Andrea and Rick decided to go on home. Michonne said that she would ride back with them to see if Jesse was back yet.

That evening they all went to Jesse and Michonne's for dinner. Tyreese was a wonderful cook and he and Sasha had made a welcome to the mountain dinner for Rick and Andrea. They got back to the homestead before sundown. Daryl, Rick, and Carl walked the fence line, checked out the barn, and just generally made certain that everything was secure. Daryl had heard that there had been some robberies on farms around Adair in the last week so he was being extra careful about security. Lizzie and Mika were sitting on the porch steps and Carol and Andrea were sitting on the rockers when the men walked back to the house. Jude was playing in her playpen on the porch and all was right in the world.


	22. Emerald

Emerald

Daryl and Rick checked the gate and fences again before they locked the house up for the night. Rick went upstairs to bed. Carol wasn't in their room so Daryl went upstairs to find her reading aloud to Carl. Lizzie, and Mika. He sat down to listen and enjoy the story. Carol finished the story and he envied her casual affection with Carl and the girls. He told everyone good night and went downstairs.

Carol came into their room and he saw her glance at the place where Jude's crib usually stood. She went on in to the bathroom and he could hear her go through her night time rituals. She came back out in her sleep shirt and got in bed.

Daryl handed her a green stone. "It's an emerald", he said. Carol smiled at him, "What do you want to talk about?"

Daryl said, "You have the stone".

Carol looked at the small piece of something that looked like melted glass. "Rick being here kind of scares me. I still feel as if he doesn't trust me and like he's waiting for me to do something terrible. I am still afraid that I can lose everything I have." She handed the emerald back to Daryl.

Daryl looked at her, "I put too much faith in Rick in the past and that won't happen again. He is not a threat to you, sweetheart. I think being treated as expendable in the plantation has made him a little less judgmental. I like having him here though because it gives us another person to help us keep this place. "

Daryl looked at the stone, "I miss Jude in our room. I miss Carl and I never thought I would ever say that. I liked working with Carl on the bow or cutting wood." He glanced at Carol who was watching him intently and he began to rub the stone absentmindedly. "My father was a monster. I was scared shitless of him. He would make up excuses to hurt me and he enjoyed it. I was afraid that I would grow up and hurt my own children. Like I would inherit his evil like he passed on the color of his eyes to me. I don't believe that anymore. Carl is like a son to me; an annoying little asshole son part of the time but I don't want to hurt him. I know that Carl loves his dad, but I hope that he has some room for me too." He passed the stone to Carol.

Carol sighed, "I had a real pang when Rick rocked her to sleep last night. One part of me loved it and the other hated it. She was my last chance to raise a baby and I love her. I love Lizzie and Mika too and I love mothering them but sometimes it is scary too. Today when they rode out on their horses I wanted to drag them off and make them stay where I could see them. I remembered the day Sophia was lost and I was started thinking that Lizzie and Mika could be hurt. You squeezed my hand and I knew that you felt it too." She handed the stone to Daryl.

"I was scared when I saw them ride out; I could just see all the terrible things waiting for them outside that gate. I really don't know how to deal with Lizzie and Mika some times. You are good with them, but I just pat them on the back and run off". Daryl hated admitting that he had no idea how to be a father to girls. He changed the subject, "I like watching you with Andrea and Michonne. You all seem to find so much to laugh about. You all are so completely different yet when you get together you are always on the same page. I listened to you all giggle in the kitchen last night and it sounded like a bunch of teenagers. It made me happy though because I thought that maybe you didn't get to do that when you were a teenager and now you can."

Carol picked up the stone and held it in her hand, "I was jealous of Michonne before she wound up with us coming up here. She made me feel so inadequate. Like she was the anti-Carol. I don't feel that now, she is like a sister to me. And so in Andrea, it's weird but it is as if we were always supposed to be friends and we finally all ended up in the same place and got to be friends. I don't just like them, I love them and I always will." Carol looked at Daryl and said, "Rick is your friend; it is like you have to choose between us."

Daryl took the stone, "Rick will still be my friend, but you are my darling companion. He knows that you come first and always will. The man I trust the most is Jesse; I always have a good time when we hang out together. He has the skills of a ninja warrior but that is not who he is. He is the guy that you can send your children out into the world with and you know that he won't let anything happen to them."

Carol looked at Daryl, "You are the man I trust the most. I still wake up at night and touch your shoulder to reassure myself that you are beside me. I love you, and it is a very physical kind of love. I love the way you move and the way your body feels when we are together. I like being touched by you and I like touching you, teasing you, and knowing that you want me."

Daryl smirked when he realized that he still had the stone, "I like knowing that you belong with me. That Brian is shit out of luck when it comes to you. I enjoy the sounds that you make when we have sex and the ways you let me know that I am pleasing you. I love your body and I love knowing that you like mine too. I love looking across a crowd and seeing you standing there like a queen. You are my queen. The queen with the peasant husband".

Carol took the stone and put it in the box that she kept the other stones in. "I would like to have sex with the peasant now."

Daryl said, "Take off your royal robes my queen. Is there anything in particular that you would like tonight?"

Carol slipped off her royal sleep shirt and smiled at Daryl, "I think I want an order of Daryl, with a dash of Merle on the side".

Daryl laughed, "You are a wicked queen, but they have the most fun".


	23. Autumn Leaves: True Love Doesn't

**The midseason finale is behind and the long wait until February with the chance that Caryl might happen. Or stop by the fan fiction store and pick out a Caryl that fits you. So let the Caryl begin. Going to have a little time jump in the story now and the story will pick up in the fall. Hope you like this one, and please write a review. The title? I saw a church placard this fall that had "Autumn Leaves, Jesus Doesn't. So I totally stole it. **

**Autumn Leaves, Love Doesn't**

Daryl and Carol are taking an evening horse ride to the very top of the mountain. They take an old logging road that winds around the mountain and ends up at the summit. There is a small meadow on the top of the mountain and they dismount and enjoy the view. "It's gorgeous with all the leaves changing," Carol said.

Daryl smiled at her and made a slow compete turn looking at the blue mountains that seemed to go on forever on every side. "Every time I see this, I think that I never want to go farther than what I see. Like this place is my whole world and I just want to grab it and hold on to it." Daryl helps Carol on to one of the flat rocks that dot the meadow and climbs up himself. He looks at her, "That's how I feel about being with you; I just want to grab you and hold on".

Carol shivered a bit in the cold wind and moved closer to Daryl. "It's cold up here, just go ahead and grab me". He put his arm around her and they stood for a while just enjoying the view. "Lizzie and Carl rode up here today and she drew and painted the view. She's good, really good I think, Lizzie and Carl took some digital photos too."

Daryl grunted, "Damn boy is probably up to no good. How old is he?"

Carol laughed, "He's fourteen and she's close to thirteen. She's taller than I am now and still growing. She's going to be tall and lanky like Lori. The days are getting shorter. Are you ready for a long cold winter up here?"

"Ashton says that we have plenty of firewood. Jesse says we have enough hay and grain for the horses and the cow. We have a basement full of canned food from the garden. I think we are okay. I have never really lived in a cold climate before." Daryl kissed her and said, "We always have to sleep naked to share our body heat, right?"

Carol laughed until tears came into her eyes. "I am going to remind you of that in the middle of January when you are looked for thermal long johns to sleep in. Let me just sleep close to you and we'll share our clothed body heat."

"it depends, are you going to be wearing sexy thermal pajamas? 'Cause I might want to show you my long john," Daryl teased.

Carol laughed and kissed him. He met the kiss with one of his own and she opened her mouth and their tongues slowly caressed one another. Daryl pulled her a little closer and put one hand on her back and the other hand eased its way to her breasts and she felt him knead the nipple of her right breast and he traced a line to the left nipple with his mouth. He bit gently on the nipple and then suckled it less gently. Daryl said, "I just want to grab you and hold on, Carol. I just want to be inside you and I want to come with all this beauty all around me".

Carol took a quick look around; the horses were tethered and were busy cropping at the short grass. No one was around, and she wanted him. She nodded and Daryl moved to the end of the rock and sat down and motioned for her to come to him. She sat beside him and they kissed again and he slipped his shirt off and Carol took off her sweater and bra while Daryl pulled off his pants and underwear. He kicked off his boots because he looked damned silly naked except for boots.

Daryl put his pants on the rock and sat back down on them. Carol sat in his lap and he kissed her again while he caressed her bottom and then between her legs. She was warm and wet and he suckled her breasts again while she rubbed his shaft. Daryl rubbed her until she came bucking against his fingers and collapsing on him. Carol straddled him then and guided him inside her. He thrust up into her and she opened herself to him. They found their rhythm together and Daryl held himself back. He wanted to make it last for as long as possible. The sky was a deep blue he could see the hills and he could see and feel Carol moving with him.

Afterward they got dressed and Daryl kissed her again and told her that he loved her. It was getting colder and they were both cold by the time they got back to the house. Carol noticed that Daryl seemed to be in a quiet mood on the way down the hill. He hadn't said much all evening she thought, not even at dinner. She got off at the porch and he took the horses on to the barn.

Carol was greeted by the usual suspects as she went in, the girls and Carl were at the table doing homework with Andrea. Rick was talking with Michonne and Jesse. She excused herself and went on down the hall to go comb her hair. Carol finished untangling her curls and she smiled at the smiling woman in the mirror. She sat down in the chair beside her bed and took a little time to thank God for giving her all her blessings.

Carol went to the kitchen and poured herself some coffee. Conversation from Jesse and Rick drifted her way, "leave early tomorrow" and "we'll get back as soon as we can". She didn't like the sound of that and she drifted over to the living room area to find out what was going on. Daryl came in through the door and he looked at her and back at the two men and then back to her. He was going somewhere and he hadn't told her. Fury flamed through her; Carol had stopped bottling up things like anger and fear. She didn't go ballistic but she was now angry at Daryl who had obviously keeping all of this from her.

Daryl sat down with the other men and tried to look like he was really interested in what they were saying. Carol was now really interested in what they saying so she sat down directly across from Daryl so that every time he looked up he would see her watching him. Andrea had also settled in beside of a silent and not very happy looking Michonne.

Andrea asked, "So you are you guys taking a road trip". Her tone was innocent by her eyes were narrowed a bit.

Rick looked at her and cleared his throat, "Yeah, we are going on a long run. The hydroelectric dam that they have been working on at Adair needs some parts. We are going tomorrow."

Andrea nodded and asked, "Who is going?"

Rick squirmed a bit, "Me, Jesse, Daryl, Patrick, and Glenn".

Daryl chanced a look at Carol who was looking daggers at him. She looked kinda hot, her cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright blue, and she had dug her hands through her curls and her hair was sort of wild. He had a flashback of Carol above him on the rock and he smiled at her and saw in Carol's eyes that she knew what he was thinking and it really pissed her off.

Andrea asked, "Where do you have to go to get these parts?"

Rick knew that this was the bit of information that would bring the house down and probably on his head. "The parts are at the Virginia /North Carolina border. We will be gone for several days and maybe weeks. We are driving there in suvs but some of the parts are so big that we will have to bring them back in semi-trucks. We need those parts to get the power on. Glenn has been working at the dam and he knows what we need to get and we are the best scavengers around. It's dangerous but if we can get the power on then we can make life better for everyone."

Carol was late for the party but it was beginning to sink in, Daryl was leaving to go on a dangerous mission and he had not told her anything about it. Rick hadn't said anything to anyone and even Jesse must have been keeping this secret from Michonne.

Jesse started talking, "We just found out a couple of days ago and we have been getting equipment together. We didn't tell you or anybody about this. Only the crew at the dam knows that we are going. The less people know then the safer you all will be while we are gone. While we are gone no one goes off the mountain, no trips to Market Day, no runs, nothing. You need to stay here and stay alert. Winter will be here soon and the whole community knows that we have supplies here. There are a few bad apples that might decide to come up here and take what they want if they thought that we were gone."

Michonne was officially tired of Jesse telling her what to do while he was gone. "We aren't helpless; everyone here including Lizzie and Mika can defend themselves." Lizzie and Mika had come over and were standing behind Carol listening to everything that was being said. Carl must have gone upstairs, Carol thought.

Carol's voice was cool and collected, "You are right, Jesse. We will stay on the mountain, but Michonne needs to stay with us. Where is Maggie staying?"

"Maggie and Beth are moving in with Brian and Brendan until Glenn gets back, at least that is the plans that Glenn has made", Jesse replied. "He's telling them tonight."

Rick said, "I told Carl a little while ago. He wants to go, but he is staying here". He looked at Andrea and Carol, "I need you to look out for Carl and take care of Judith until I get back".

Daryl didn't have anything to say; he had kept this from Carol and he knew that she would be madder about that than him leaving. He knew it was time to man up and talk about this. He had picked a piece of granite up from the mountain and he had intended to tell her up there where they could have some privacy.

"Carol and I are going to take a walk out to the barn and check on the horses. We won't be gone long; we need to talk for a little while." Daryl stood up and held out his hand to Carol. She took his hand and they started for the door, "Just a minute, I'll grab a coat for you, its cold outside." Daryl went to their room and grabbed her warmest jacket and one for him. He helped her put it on before they left and they sailed out the door.

Lizzie waited until the door closed behind them, "Carol is really pissed. Her voice goes all quiet like that right before she and Daryl have a fight. They always start off talking louder than usual, then they start talking normally, and then everything gets quiet. Then it is all over."

Michonne said, "Your momma hears you talking like that then you will be eating soap for dessert, little girl".

Lizzie snickered and put her hands over Mika's ears, "I skipped the makeup sex part."

Andrea said, "Go upstairs, Lizzie and take your sister with you. And maybe we won't tell your mother what you just said."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and left with Mika. Andrea watched her go, thinking she's almost thirteen and thinks she knows everything. Dear God, that is exactly the way I acted when I was her age.

Jesse waited until the girls were upstairs to start laughing. "The kid has a real grasp of the situation. Carol is pissed. There will be loud voice and then they'll work it out. It's probably too cold out there for makeup sex."

…..

Carol was glad that she had a heavy coat on. it was cold out here and there were a million stars out. She remembered something from a high school literature class that she wanted to share with Daryl and thought "later".

They went into the barn and Daryl switched on the lights. Carol walked over to her horse who hugged her by putting her head down by Carol's. Daryl had seen the mare do that several times but it always made him happy to see their love for each other.

Daryl took out the rock that he had collected from the mountain and gave it to Carol. She felt the anger again and went with it even though knowing that this probably came from the mountain top they had been on that evening. "Did you want to have sex with me or did you just not want to tell me that you were leaving? You have known about this for a week and you couldn't tell me. You once told me that you would put me first. I am not feeling like I am first with you right now, Daryl".

Carol handed him the rock. Daryl looked at her and he knew that she was hurt that he hadn't told her. "I promised that I wouldn't tell. A man has to honor his promises to his friends. I was going to tell you this evening up on the mountain top. It got away from me when I saw how beautiful it was up there. I looked at all those mountains and I knew that I didn't want to go. I wanted to find a way for time to slow down so that I could stay on that mountain with you for the rest of my life. I didn't want to ruin that time by telling you. I am not sorry that I didn't. I am glad that we laughed, had sex and I told you that I love you.

He handed her the rock, "Why does it have to be you? This is dangerous. You could get killed, all of you could just disappear and we would never see you again, "Carol choked out.

Daryl took the stone from her, "If we can get the power on in Adair, then the hospital there will be able to do so much more than they can now with generators. I am telling you a secret that Jesse told me. Michonne is pregnant. She had children before but they were all delivered by caesarian birth. Jesse is desperate to get the power on so that Michonne will be able to have their baby." He turned away and thought about Lori. Her death had haunted him; she had bled out on a dirty floor and her son had to put her down.

Carol had been stunned by the news. It must be very early in the pregnancy for Michonne not to tell. Tears came to her eyes; she had loved Lori and still missed her. She loved Michonne just as much and understood now why they were going. They wanted to save Michonne; the brave ninja warrior who could be brought down by her own flesh and blood.

Carol hugged Daryl. "Michonne is staying here. I will take care of her. What do you need for the trip?"

Daryl said, "Let's go back and have something warm to drink. Let's sit with the people we love and laugh and hold on to each other for as long as we can."

Andrea had started making cookies and Lizzie and Mika were helping. Carl was helping by eating cookie dough. Michonne and Jesse were making hot chocolate and Rick was holding Judith. Lizzie nudged Andrea when Carol and Daryl came through the door, "See I told you that it would be over and now…"

Andrea interrupted, "Lizzie, just be glad that you have parents that can talk to each other when they disagree."

Lizzie hugged Andrea, "I love you too, Aunt Andrea".

Jesse and Michonne stayed there that night. There was a definite circle the wagon vibe to the whole evening Michonne thought. She just would rather be here when Jesse left. Tyreese and Sasha were wonderful, but she just wanted to be around people who loved her.

Carol and Daryl had gone up to tell Lizzie and Mika goodnight. Daryl asked Lizzie if he could see the painting that she had made on her ride that day. Lizzie brought it to him and he sat on her bed and looked at it. The mountains were a mass of color and the sky was a deep blue. "Lizzie, it is wonderful. It does feel like that up there. Like the world just starts there and rolls on forever." Daryl looked at the painting and thought about that evening ride with Carol, "Can I have it to take with me? "

Lizzie nodded. She knew that it was good and she would like to keep it, but Daryl was going to bring it back. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him goodbye. Mika was already asleep and Daryl kissed her. He had tears in his eyes when he left their room.

Lizzie said to herself, "Be careful, Papa Bear. Mama Bear and the cubbies need you".

Daryl and Carol packed the clothes that he needed for his trip. He put in Lizzie's painting and then went to the box that Carol kept the rocks in and took out the jasper stone. "It was our first stone, and I am going to bring it back to you" he said. She nodded and tried not to cry.

Lizzie was right, there was make up sex.

**I really am getting to like my smart mouthed almost teenager Lizzie. I hope you do too, cause she's going to hang around.**

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	24. You Were Always on My Mind

**It must because TWD is so male oriented that the muse keeps demanding chapters in which women actually do something but be a vehicle for man pain. I won't be writing much about the run that the men are on. Been there and did that in "The Least" and this time I want to concentrate on what is happening up on the mountain. It's goodbye time.**

You Were Always On My Mind

Andrea had woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. The house felt sad tonight and the wind was blowing hard making a whistling sound in the gutters. She decided to get up and bake something. The men could take part of it with them and the rest could be used to bolster the spirits for those remaining.

Andrea dressed and went downstairs. She was becoming more confident in dealing with the stove. She decided on cinnamon buns, sticky and sweet, comfort food for those who might need a little comfort. She kneaded the dough and thought about Rick. He was a loving father and life here had calmed him down. Andrea didn't think it was a good idea for him to go on this trip; no one wanted a return to Rick being the conductor of the crazy train.

Carol slipped in beside Andrea, "What are making?"

Andrea said, "Cinnamon rolls and maybe some bread. I couldn't get back to sleep. What are you doing up?"

Carol shrugged, "I went to sleep but the wind woke me up. It sounds threatening, and I just spooked myself saying that".

Andrea said, "We can handle it when it comes. Think of all the shit that we have waded through already."

Carol smiled, but she had woken up with a clear mental picture of this house being attacked by marauders. Her grandmother had the "sight" and supposedly it was passed down to the females in the family. Carol decided that she was going to take that image and act on it as a warning. It couldn't hurt to be extra careful with the men gone. She knew that her friends were warriors but the bad guys would just see them as women, attractive women who could be bought and sold to willing bidders. Andrea had talked with her and Michonne about the new slave trade. It was not going to happen here.

Carol went back to see if Daryl was stirring yet. He was up checking over his backpack when she went in. She kissed him good morning and he growled, "You smell good".

She laughed, "Its cinnamon, the aphrodisiac of the Zombie Apocalypse. Now what are you going to need out there that you haven't packed?"

Daryl looked at her so steadily that tears came to her eyes, "I would go if you would let me."

He shook his head, "No way in hell, this is all about bros before hos."

Carol retaliated by slapping him on the ass pretty hard. "Just always wanted to do that, especially back in the day when you ignored me all the time."

Daryl shook his head, "You were always on my mind, sweetheart. Just never let myself get too close, I was afraid that you would slap me on my ass and I would grab you and hold on. Now when I get back you can slap me on the ass every morning, that will give me reason to get my unslapped ass back up here with you."

He hugged her and slapped her ass not very hard. "Goes both ways sweetheart". I love you and I love our children. Be safe and keep them safe. "

Carol smiled and stepped back, "I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe."

She added a first aid kit that she had in their bathroom and went to the supply closet that they kept the scavenged medicines and added some antibiotics that were used to treat infection. She made certain that Daryl's first aid kit had everything needed to clean and patch up wounds. Jesse had some first aid training but they really needed a medic.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Rick and Carl came downstairs in time to get the first rolls out of the oven. The coffee was ready and Andrea poured Rick a cup straight from the pot. She smiled at Carl and made his with cream and sugar. Rick thought that she looked beautiful with her cheeks flushed from the oven's head. It must be the cinnamon he thought, but I really wish I could just kiss her good morning.

Jesse and Michonne were not far behind. Andrea handed Michonne a cup and Jesse took it from her smiling at her after he took a gulp. Michonne said, "I think I'll just have some tea, I'll make it". Michonne bustled around making some tea while Jesse ate a cinnamon roll.

"Andrea, these are wonderful. Damn, girl I am going to miss you", Jesse said, walking over and giving Andrea hug and a kiss on her cheek. Andrea laughed at him, "Don't make Michonne jealous, it's just the cinnamon."

Michonne laughed, "Don't blame him, these are wonderful". She hugged Andrea and kissed her cheek, "What time did you get up to make these".

Andrea said, "Early, I couldn't sleep".

Rick tried not to think about Andrea in her bed. It was beginning to piss him off a little that everybody was kissing her this morning.

Daryl walked into the kitchen and grabbed a roll. "We are taking all the rolls with us. Carol says that cinnamon is the aphrodisiac of the ZA. We aren't leaving any up here for Brian McKenzie when he comes calling." Daryl took the coffee that Andrea handed him and he hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Don't blame me, it's the cinnamon," Daryl said.

Carol had found something else to put in Daryl's pack and she walked in during the kiss. "That is it; I want a roll before pigs get them all". Daryl brought her a roll and she took a bite. Her eyes lit up and he kissed her. She pushed him off and hugged and kissed Andrea. Then, Carol moved back to Daryl and ate her roll leaning against him.

Carl rolled his eyes and acted disgusted by their displays of affection, but it made him happy inside. He said, "Cut out the public displays of affection right now. I am trying to enjoy my breakfast".

Rick rumpled Carl's hair and hugged him. "I love you, Carl. Let's go up so that I can say goodbye to Judith". They went on upstairs to find that Judith had woken up. Carl changed her and carried her downstairs. Rick knew that Carl could and would do anything to protect Judith. Sometimes Carl could be a little scary but he was also the boy who would change diapers and play peekaboo with Judith. Rick grabbed his backpack and went downstairs.

Lizzie and Mika were downstairs eating when they got back. Carl said something to Lizzie and she smiled at him. Daryl saw that smile and knew he would have to keep an eye on Carl.

Glenn honked the horn and they all trooped out to the gate to say goodbye. They were the Suburban and Glenn had already stowed his stuff inside. Glenn was driving and he got in after hugging everyone goodbye. Jesse kissed Michonne and whispered, "I love you, my Nubian Queen" in her ear. Daryl hugged Lizzie and Mika goodbye and gave them a kiss on their cheeks, and said "Behave yourselves while I am gone and the same goes for your mother." He hugged and kissed Carol last and then jumped into the vehicle. Rick was last and he kissed Judith and hugged Carl. He opened the door to the car and turned to wave goodbye. Andrea was putting her arm around Carol who looked like she was going to burst into tears. Rick said to himself, "Screw it" and walked over to Andrea and put his arms around her and kissed her passionately and just quickly released her and jumped in the Sub. The crowd outside applauded and the crowd inside didn't say anything.

Glenn started the car and the cd that Daryl had been listening to last night came on. Willie Nelson's incomparable version of "You Were Always on My Mind". No one said anything; they just listened to Willie all the way to pick up Patrick and down the mountain. They just listened as the miles rolled by and they got farther and farther away from the ones they love.

**Another Willie wrote, "Good night, good night!**

**Parting is such sweet sorrow**

**That I shall say good night till it be morrow." **

**Think I'll go find a cinnamon bun.**


	25. preparing

Preparing

Carol was doing the breakfast dishes when her cousin Emily came in with Lizzie and Mika. Carol dried her hands and offered Emily a cinnamon bun. The girls went back to the horses. Emily declined the bun but said she would love a cup of coffee. Carol and Emily sat across from one another at the kitchen table and Carol could see that Emily had something on her mind. Emily could easily be her sister. They both had graying hair, thin builds, and their eyes were the same color blue. They both looked like their grandmother had when they were little kids running around like wild Indians on the mountain.

Emily took a deep breath, "Carol, I apologize for not visiting you. I have been working twelve hours a day shifts at the dam for over a year. My daughter is being raised by Jo and I put everything and everybody on hold until the dam in operational. We can't do anything at the dam until Glenn comes back with the equipment that we need. I decided to take a vacation and mend some fences."

Carol looked at Emily and remembered the studious little girl who wanted microscopes and telescopes for Christmas and who spent her days reading science books and conducting experiments. "I am glad that you are here now. I lost a part of myself when my mother took me away and being back here with my cousins has given it back to me. "

Emily started, "Grandma had the "sight" and as a student of science I didn't really believe it when I was growing up. She would tell me that I would have it too because it ran down from the Coulter side to the females. I would roll my eyes, but as I got older I noticed that things just didn't add up. Grandpa had been killed by a log truck on the highway and Grandma got a settlement. Anytime she spent money she would just say it was from the settlement".

Carol drank some coffee and eyed Emily curiously. Emily was taking a long walk down Memory Lane for some reason. "Grandma never wasted money, as far as I can remember".

Emily gave a wry grin. "Grandma took the settlement money and played the stock market using her sight to make good investments. She evaded the IRS with shady accountants and off shore accounts. She would make bets on sporting events using a proxy. She lived the life of a quiet widow but bought politicians like someone else would buy a new winter coat. Grandma was like Robin Hood, she gave most of it away."

Emily seemed lost in thought for a second and then refocused. "She never gave up on finding you, but your mother and her boyfriend were in a witness protection program and we never found you. Grandma said that you were coming back. About ten years ago Grandma began to have visions about something terrible happening. She began to build houses for all of us. Ashton and I have always been close and she built our houses together. She bought another farm for Paddy and built a home for him. Jesse's house was built for his mother and father. She bought the farm beside of that house for Jesse and built him a house there. I designed all the houses even this one. Grandma built this for you and all the people that were coming with you. There are things in this house that no one knows about because we planned it that way. Grandma ran out of time, but the hydroelectric dam was her last project. She made certain that the politicians came up with the money before she died. That is why I work twelve hours a day and seven days a week. I want to see her vision fulfilled. The dam will provide enough electricity for Adair and surrounding communities if we learn to live simply."

Carol said, "How does the sight work?" She was mindful of the vision she had had of her home being attacked.

Emily answered, "I started having glimpses after Grandma died. Just like flashes at first and sometimes something more. I started seeing you before all this happened but I never could find where you were. You were always just in a house, and it could have been anywhere. "

Carol thought about her life and she had stayed in the house all the time. That was what Ed wanted and she had been too afraid of him to defy him. "How much do you know about my marriage to Ed?

Emily answered honestly, "More than I want to know, and I am glad that Daryl is the kind one that Grandma said you would find. I know that you are upset that he is off on this run, but Glenn chose them and I know that they are going to make it back."

Carol felt an enormous relief. Emily was too honest to say that if she didn't believe that to be true. "I think I had a glimpse last night, and it has been worrying me all morning. I saw this house being attacked by marauders."

Emily nodded, "I had a flash like that last night too, that is why I am here, I know this sounds like the X Files but I saw it and I came to warn you. Have you had any flashes before? Carol, you will learn to trust it. Don't be afraid to stand up and say what needs to be said. Now let's get your friends together and make plans to keep this homestead safe".

The four women drank coffee and decided on watch schedules. Emily suggested that they use some cameras to keep watch over more of the property. She had installed a system like that at her house and it covered their compound. She had the leftover equipment and would put it in today. It used very little electricity so they should have enough. Michonne volunteered to clean all weapons today and Andrea was going to check the fences. Later, they would go over the plan with Carl and the girls.

Carol and Emily walked over to Jesse and Michonne's and found Tyreese and Sasha working in their greenhouse. They sat outside on the deck and drank iced tea and discussed the situation. Carol said that they were welcome to stay at the homestead but Tyreese was worried that if they left that this house would be robbed. They would stay there but would take turns keeping watch at night.

Brian McKenzie was surprised to see Carol and her cousin at his door but welcomed them into the house. Maggie, Beth, Brendan, and Brian were living here until Glenn came home. Brian listened to Carol and Emily warn them that they were afraid that the mountain might be robbed. Brian took it seriously because he had been worried about it too.

Carol was relieved that Brian was well prepared. Maggie and Beth had brought over their weapons and valuables. Brendan had taken over the truck and loaded all their food and put it in the basement here. They would set up watches for the night and keep alert. Maggie thought that they should move the vehicles inside the garage at night. Brian was worried about his horses and said that he would sleep in the barn if he had to.

Brian found himself watching Emily. Ashton had told him that she was brilliant and worked at the dam in town. She had a daughter because he had met her when he visited Ashton, but she was always at work and he had never really met her. Brian thought that she was an attractive woman but she way out of his league.

Brian showed Emily and Carol some of the things he was creating in his blacksmith shop. Carol looked at his work and knew that Brian was an artist. He was making an iron door with an intricate design. He had created bars for windows and doors that looked ornamental but were strong and sturdy enough to provide security. Her favorite was a horse made of differing lengths of iron welded together and setting on a little stand. Brian held it up to the light and Carol saw that it became a thing of magic. It was designed to be in a window so that the horse would always have light behind it. It was a gift for Lizzie's birthday and he and Daryl had worked together to design it.

Carol and Emily walked back to her house talking about Brian's work. Carol had noticed that Brian seemed interested in Emily but Emily didn't seem to notice. She had liked his artwork though and was hoping to commission a barred door for the front and back of her house.

Carol saw Carl outside and him over to walk with her to Ashton's compound. She was a little worried about Emily walking by herself. Carl didn't mind and they talked with him as they walked about keeping the place safe. Carl thought it was a great idea and Carol had visions of Carl on the roof with a 50 caliber rifle ready to blow marauders into bits. They said goodbye to Emily at the gate and she and Carl walked and talked on the way back. Something wicked was coming their way but her family would be ready to protect themselves and their property.

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	26. Taking No Prisoners

**I hope that you are ready for some warrior women because this chapter is devoted is all about women protecting their own with all that they have. It also has a shout out to a beloved children's book about a horse. So Carol and Company are on a collision course with some evil men who will stop at nothing to take over McAllister Mountain's resources. **

Taking No Prisoners

Carol, Michonne, and Andrea took a walk around the property trying to figure out the best way to defend the property. Judith bumped along with them in her stroller. Emily had come back this afternoon and installed a camera at the barn, at the gate, the back yard of the house, and one showing the front yard. They had sat down and discussed what they were going to do if the house was attacked by marauders.

Michonne didn't mince words, "I am cutting their heads off; they will kill us if they get a chance and they will take all our supplies".

Andrea had seen way too much of the dark side of life before and after the ZA. "Or they may be looking for women to sell to slavers. There is Maggie, Beth, Sasha, Lizzie, Mika, Michonne, Andrea, Carol, Jo, Emily, Ariel, Arya, Sarah, and Rachel in four houses. They might not get everybody but those young girls would bring a good price. I am not taking any prisoners. I have been there and done that. I won't let that happen to Lizzie and Mika or anyone else. I am shooting to kill."

Carol had to agree with them. She had hoped that being on McAllister Mountain would mean that she would go to sleep every night feeling safe and secure. Carol was realizing that no place was completely safe; you never really got to hang up your weapons. "So we agree that if they cross onto our property then we shoot to kill and take no prisoners. What do we do with the bodies?"

Michonne said, "We could fire up the farm equipment and dig a big hole. We could take the bodies to Adair. We could hang the bodies on the gate as a warning".

Carol said, "We are not hanging the bodies on the gate".

Andrea, "We bury the bodies, but we tell everybody that we killed to protect the property. No one is going to do anything to us for killing marauders. We can't call 911 and wait for the Calvary to show up. We are our own Calvary."

Carol said, "Well, that will work for Carl. I am sure he isn't going to give anyone a Miranda warning when they get in his sights. So are we agreed?" Andrea and Michonne had agreed.

So the three women were walking the fence line and trying to think like marauders in order to come up with a defensive plan. The fences were in good shape and they would hold off a walker but marauders would just cut them open or come over the top. They looked at the back gate that let out to the wood lot that Rick and Daryl had cut their winter's firewood. They could bury an army out there.

Carl joined them at the barn yard. He was determined to protect the horses and wanted to camp out there at night. Carol said, "We'll talk about it later".

Lizzie and Mika were taking care of their horses and Carol walked in to pet her own horse. She had finally named it "Cuddy". She wanted to camp out here with Carl and make sure that nothing happened to any of the horses. Carl had already cleaned out her stall but Cuddy wanted Carol's attention. Cuddy put her head down so that Carol could lean close and they could hug. Carol stayed there awhile trying to think of ways to keep everybody safe. She whispered to Cuddy, "I wish Daryl was here."

Carol went back to the house still trying to delve into the mindset of marauders who preyed on others. She kept drawing blanks. Carol decided to think about making dinner and getting prepared for the night. Andrea was feeding Judith and Michonne was sharpening her katana. Carol had to laugh at that sight. She went on in to the kitchen and saw that Lizzie had left a book on the counter. She picked it up and read the title, "Black Beauty". Carol had read this book when she was younger than Lizzie. She had had nightmares after she read the chapter that the horse barn caught on fire. Lizzie was a little older but she noticed that she hadn't gotten to the chapter about the fire. It was then that Carol had a glimpse of the attack on the homestead. It was dark but there were a few lights on in the house. The barn was on fire and she could see Carl and Lizzie running out of the house toward the barn and herself following them. Then she could see men running into the house. That is how they would get in the house without firing a shot. The house was a fortress but an open door meant that within seconds the battle for this house was over. It would work at Brian's place and at Jesse's house. It was simple and effective.

Carol whirled around, "I know what they are going to do. We have to warn everyone before dark. "

Michonne looked up from her already razor sharp katana, "What did you see?"

Andrea finished with Judith and wiped her face. "What's going on?"

Carol moved back to them and told them her vision. Michonne thought all this "sight" business was a load of crap, but as Carol spun out her vision Michonne could see that the automatic reaction to a fire in a barn filled with beloved animals would be to run to put the fire out. Andrea agreed and for the first time was truly afraid.

Carol grabbed a jacket, checked to make sure her sword was on her side, put her pistol in the jacket pocket. Michonne grabbed a jacket; she didn't think Carol should be out there by herself. The waited on the porch until Andrea brought the Carl and the girls into the house. Then they took off for Ashton and Emily's houses. They met at Ashton's house and warned them about the marauders using fire to get into houses. "Make sure that you don't get drawn into running toward our house and leaving your house unprotected."

The next stop was at Jesse's house. Tyreese and Sasha said that they would move the horses into Jesse's steel building at night. Then, at least if the barn caught on fire the horses would be safe. Carol warned them, "Don't come to us if you hear anything. There are only two of you and you need to stay here".

Brian was furious when he heard Carol tell her story. He said that he would make sure that his horses were safe and that Maggie and Beth were protected. "Those sons of bitches will never touch my horses or those girls. Brendan and I will watch over the horses and Maggie and Beth will cover the house." Carol said, "Be careful, they will try to draw you out if they can. Don't be galloping over to my house and leaving Maggie and Beth behind. Stay together and know that they use what we love to draw us out into the open".

Michonne and Carol walked back as the day began to fade away to night. It had been a long day and it might be a longer night. Carol thought about the other houses; her vision was of her home being attacked. "We will be attacked first, and they figure the others will come to help us and they can take whatever they want".

Everyone sat around the dining room table and Carol talked about the attack. Lizzie and Mika looked at each other when Carol talked about the barn being on fire. She described the way the bad guys wanted to draw them out. Carol said that she didn't know when they were coming but she did know that they were coming.

Carol and Carl went out the back and stayed in the barn that night while Andrea and Michonne took watch in the house. Lizzie and Mika slept in her room with Judith. The house was shuttered and everything locked up tight.

On the third evening Carol had another vision and she knew that tonight was the night. Carol, Carl, and Michonne slipped out just as it was getting dark and situated themselves on the bottom floor of the barn. Andrea was in the house watching the cameras. Judith was put in the basement because there were no windows or doors down there. Lizzie and Mika were in the attic, Lizzie could shoot a rifle and she was determined to protect her family. She settled herself so that she could see the front yard of the house. Mika was watching out the back and had a hand gun.

Carol was tired; she and Carl had spent two nights already in the barn but she knew that it was coming tonight. Michonne had hidden herself by a side door and Carl was close to the horses. She was near the door closest to the house. They waited, Carol mentally reviewed the plan. She and Carl had stored water in the barn to fight the fire and they were prepared to let the marauders come into the barn and actually light a fire in order to get as many as possible. Michonne would slip out and go after the men who might be outside.

Carl had his pistol and a knife. She had stored weapons all over the barn. She was hoping to use the sword though because it would be quieter. She stretched herself and heard the sound of heavy feet walking on the gravel path. Michonne walked like a cat never making a sound. It was on. She drew her sword and put her knife in her belt. The door inched open and she could see the outline of a big man in the doorway. She stayed in the shadow of the stalls and heard one of the horses make a nervous sound. The man turned toward the horses and Carl and another man followed him in. She could smell the gasoline that they were carrying. The second man turned toward her and she positioned herself and her sword for a killing thrust. He came closer and she stepped into his path and pushed the sword through his stomach and upward toward his heart. He made a noise and the other man said in a low voice, "Vince". Carol had brought her sword out and used a knife to cut his jugular. She took just a second or two to stick the knife into his brain stem and she moved toward the other man. Carl had brought him down hitting him with an axe and used a knife to cut his throat. Carol used the knife to the brain stem to put him down and together she and Carl dragged him away from the horses and toward the other man. Carol took their gasoline and hid it in another part of the barn. They both went to the door and weren't surprised when another man came in, "Stop dicking around and get the fire started". Carl used the axe and Carol put the knife into the brain stem. They dragged him over to the others and waited but no one else came. Carl led her to the other door way: he spent so much of his time in the barn with his horse that he could find his way in the dark.

They eased the side door open, Carl had oiled the hinges today and it opened silently. There were men moving toward the house and Carol knew that somewhere Michonne was mowing them down. Carol grabbed the rifle she had put beside of his door and gave it to Carl and she grabbed the other for herself. "Close your eyes" she reminded Carl and both of them in the middle of this attack closed their eyes and waited.

Andrea was watching the cameras and waited until the men were in the front yard. She said a prayer and went to the floodlight switch and turned it on. The floodlights flashed on and the men standing there were momentarily blinded. Michonne killed the man coming through the fence. Carol and Carl began shooting from the barn and Lizzie opened up from the attic. Andrea ran back to the cameras to see how the battle was going and to check out the side windows which had their steel shutters in place. She blessed Carol's grandmother who had the foresight to build a fortress. Andrea saw that there were two men at the back and she went back toward the steel framed back door. She heard gunfire from above and figured that Mika was shooting and she used the opening in the door that Emily had shown Carol the other day to shoot the two men as they stood on the porch. There was another man back there and she waited until he came closer and she hit him with the light and got him in the face. She closed the opening in the door and ran back toward the front. The camera showed a man trying to get the front door open and Michonne leaping toward him. She ran him through with her sword.

Carol and Carl were finishing off the men in the yard. Carol waved to Lizzie and she waved back. Michonne and Carl went to the back to make sure that all of them were down for good as Carol put a bullet in every brain in the yard. She had to make sure.

Andrea opened the front door and they all went in and locked the door. Carl ran to get Judith and Lizzie and Mika came down. Carol patched some cuts on Lizzie from glass. Carl had cut himself with the knife. Michonne had a wound on her arm and Carol had been a wound on her side. Michonne patched her up.

Andrea made everyone a sandwich and kept an eye on the cameras. The floodlights were probably draining the solar batteries but they made everyone feel better so she kept them on. The adults and Carl drank coffee and the girls hot chocolate. Tomorrow morning they would gather up the bodies and bury them. Carol was praying that everyone had stayed with the plan. The girls went to bed in Carol's room and Judith slept in her crib. Carl went to sleep on a couch in the living room and the three women stayed up most of the night checking the cameras and the upstairs windows to make sure that there wasn't a second wave.

Michonne crashed first on one of the couches. Carol sent Andrea to sleep with the girls. She was tired but so was everyone else. They had done it. They had defended the homestead like pioneer women. Carol waited until she it was fairly bright outside and then she opened the door. Michonne and Carl had woken up and stood beside her. The front yard was a killing zone. Bodies were lying everywhere. Andrea came out and put her arm around Carol and Michonne came up beside Carol on the other side and Carl beside of her. The leaves were still a riot of color and the sun was rising in a cloudless sky and they were alive.

"... _there is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham..."_

—Black Beauty, Chapter 13, last paragraph.


	27. Aftermath

Aftermath

Carol heard a shout from the gate and she saw Ashton, Josh, and Jon standing at the gate. Carl ran up and let them in. Ashton hugged her, "It looks like you kicked ass and took some names last. We thought that we were doing good to clear out five but your group must have tripled that". Everyone surveyed the yard littered with bodies from last night. Ashton went on, "Someone from the acting Sheriff's Office is coming out to collect the bodies".

Carol answered, "We were just going to bury them here. I would like them out before Lizzie and Mika wake up. Last night was bad enough, but it looks worse in the cold light of day".

Ashton understood why she would want rid of this but there was a reason why he bothered to call in the official law enforcement unit. "They'll take the bodies with them back to Adair in the back of a truck. Everyone from here to hell will see those bodies and ask who did that. We want everyone to know that your group killed the most of them; the riffraff needs to know that you will defend yourself.

Michonne asked, "Did anyone else get attacked?" She was worried about Tyreese and Sasha. There was just the two of them.

Ashton shook his head, "I don't know. We should go on over and check the rest out. Some of you need to stay here and wait on the High Sheriff to show up". Michonne and Carl opted to go with them to check on the others. Carol and Andrea stayed behind to wait on local law enforcement.

The sheriff and his deputies showed up in two trucks. The deputies gathered up bodies including several heads, tossed them in the trucks while the sheriff took a statement from Carol. One of the deputies asked, "Is this all of them?"

Carol added, "There are three out behind the barn, we dragged them out there because the horses were spooked."

Andrea asked, "Did you get the three in the back?

The deputies trudged off to get those bodies. The sheriff said, "Hell of a battle here, remind me always to be on your side of any fight. We are going to take these shits on a farewell tour through Adair and then we will put them all in one hole. That way they can spend eternity with each other either here or in hell."

Carol asked, "Is that all?"

The sheriff laughed, "I would give you a medal if I had one. This aren't local guys, by guess is that they were looking for women. There are some abandoned trucks that you all can have. I think you probably got all of them. Now I better go check on the others".

Carol and Andrea looked at the yard after they left. The deputies cleaned it up well. Andrea said, "If you need a lawyer, I work cheap". Carol sighed, "I think I am hiring Michonne, she would just scare the jury into letting me go. The good sheriff seems content to parade our trophies around town."

Andrea laughed, "Everyone in Adair will know who stood their ground and showed no mercy. Ashton is right; this should knock back any one who thought that we didn't know how to protect ourselves".

Lizzie and Mika appeared in the doorway with Judith. Andrea took Judith and Carol hugged the girls, "Let's sit down here just a second. I am sorry that I didn't talk with you last night about what happened. I am sorry that you had to go through that."

Lizzie looked at the yard; the bodies had all been cleared away. "I think we were too tired to talk last night anyway. Maybe this afternoon we could take a walk or a ride and talk then."

Michonne and Carl were back full of news. Jesse's new barn was in ashes. It had been set ablaze but Tyreese and Sasha had gotten out a side door and come around behind the intruders. The horses had been put in the steel building and were unhurt. Tyreese had had flesh wound on this shoulder and Ashton and Jon were taking him to the hospital. Josh was staying with Sasha. No one had bothered the McKenzie's. Brian was bringing Latifah and Amir back to Carol's barn in a bit.

Carol thought about those abandoned trucks left by the raiders; she had a flash of two men waiting in the woods for a chance to make their way back to the trucks. They had just hunkered down last night and were waiting until night to sneak back to the trucks and get away. "We need to put somebody watching the trucks tonight. There is a couple left out there and we need to make sure that they don't make it back to their nest," Carol stated. She was exhausted as they all were but they couldn't let down until this was cleaned up.

Michonne and Carl looked at each other and smiled. Carol frowned at them, but knew that they could do the job. Carol hated knowing that; she recognized that she had slipped back into the cold calculating mode that had led her to disaster at the prison. She also knew that had saved them this time. Andrea put her arm around her, "Carol, we have your back; you can talk to us until Daryl get back."

Carol gave a faint smile, "Not quite the same, but stay close. Don't let me go too far; pull me back in when I need it. "

Michonne came over and hugged both Carol and Andrea. Carol had a flash of Michonne handing Jesse a baby when he came through a gate. She hugged the both close and wished that she could share what she had just seen. Carol felt her tears of joy fall and Andrea wiped them away. "Carol, you can cry pretty better than anyone I ever saw".

Michonne agreed, "It's a damn gift, I always cry ugly. Don't worry, Miss Cry Pretty, you start losing it and I'll drag your skinny white ass back to solid ground".

Carol, Andrea, and Michonne took a nap in Carol's bed. "I know you said that you would have my back, but I didn't think that you meant it so literally," Carol said as she shifted between the two of them.

"Shut the hell up, "Michonne said. And Carol went to sleep secure in her faith that Carl and the girls would watch Judith and the cameras.

Later Michonne and Carl went to check out the abandoned trucks. Carol and Andrea fixed the fence. Carol and the girls looked after the horses including Latifah and Amir. Carl had fired up the hot water heater and everyone had a hot shower.

Brian had been over a couple of times to check things out. He was in full protector mode and Carol asked him on his second visit to go with her to talk to Emily and check on Tyreese. He jumped at the chance to be useful and they left Andrea with the girls and Judith. Carol took Andrea aside, "Stay in the house until I get back, please".

Carol and Brian went to Emily's log cabin and found her going over blueprints of the dam and schematics to the equipment. Emily grabbed Carol's hand and smiled at Brian. Emily said, "I am glad that you weathered the storm, Cousin".

Carol noticed that Brian smiled back at Emily rather warmly. "Tyreese was hurt and we are going to check on him. Michonne and Carl are checking out the raider trucks. I think there are a couple of raiders left out there. Have you seen anything? "

Emily shook her head, "I haven't seen anything, but I still feel … uneasy. I guess is the word. Jonathan is asking some friends of his to stay up here a few days. They are going to stay at Jesse's while Tyreese is away and at your place if you would like. "

Carol nodded, "We could use them today. We're a little shorthanded right now. Have Jon bring them over as soon as they get here. I need to go check on Tyreese. Has Josh taken Sasha to see Tyreese yet?  
Emily said, "They are leaving as soon as the other guys show up".

Emily walked them out to Brian's truck parked outside the gate. Josh and Sasha stopped on their way and Carol asked Josh to send some help to her house. Josh agreed to drive back and take two of Jon's friends to the house if they would take Sasha to the hospital.

Josh kissed Sasha goodbye and promised that he would be at the hospital with her as soon as he got everything in order. Carol watched him and recognized the signs of a man in love and by the way that Sasha looked at him it was a love match.

Sasha jumped in the second row of Brian's truck and the three of them were soon walking into the emergency room of the hospital at Adair. They were directed back Tyreese's room and they found the doctor checking him as they went in. Ashton was sitting in the chair beside of Tyreese and Carol thought that Ashton seemed worried.

Dr. Hakim was a surgeon who had moved his family from Charlotte to Adair four years ago. He and his wife had relocated to Adair with their son, Caleb. Ashton introduced everyone. Dr. Hakim said, "Tyreese is a strong healthy man but I am worried about infection. The wound is showing signs of infection and we have started treating it with antibiotics. I know that your group has brought in antibiotics all summer from your runs, and Tyreese may respond to what we have on hand. We need to give his body a chance to start fighting back".

Carol saw that Tyreese's left shoulder was bandaged. He looked gray and tired. Sasha was standing beside him holding his right hand. She went over to his left side and kissed his cheek, "I am so sorry Tyreese that you got hurt", Carol knew that he was feverish and she knew that this wasn't good.

"Don't worry about it, my sister. I am going to be fine either way." Tyreese had his eyes closed and Carol wasn't sure if he was talking to her or Sasha. Maybe both.

Carol moved back to Dr. Hakim and asked, "What does he need?"

Dr. Hakim smiled at her, "Luck and a stronger antibiotic. He is lucky that the wound didn't go closer to his lungs or heart. We will just have to hope that the antibiotic kicks in soon".

Carol remembered her grandmother used to say, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride." She wasn't going to sit here and wish for Tyreese to get better; she was going to do something about it".

"Make a list of the antibiotics that you need," she said and Dr. Hakim took a sheet of paper from the chart and started writing".

"I hear that you and yours are a tough bunch of fighters but don't get yourself killed on a suicide mission. These antibiotics are going to be in a hospital and not in a medicine chest in somebody's bathroom". Dr. Hakim handed her a list, but he was ready to take the list back.

Carol glanced at the list, "I have to try, and I have never been suicidal." She walked over and kissed Tyreese's forehead. "I love you, my brother. You fight like hell now and don't give up". She went around to Sasha, "You be strong now and pray for him. I'll be back soon."

Carol looked at Brian, "Let's go." She knew that there was little time to waste and supplies to be gathered.


	28. He's Not Heavy

**Team Carol is going to put on their big girl panties and do what needs to be done. I promise fluff and stuff later but right now our warrior women have a job to do. They recruit some help from some odd sources. It is quite a bit longer than my chapters usually are, but the muse wants this part of the story to be together.**

He's Not Heavy, He's My Brother

Brian started his truck and turned to look at Carol who was staring out to the hills beyond the town. "Carol, you don't have to do this. I know that he is your friend and you want to help him, but this is dangerous. You have children that need you; Daryl that needs you. Why would you even attempt it?"

Carol looked at Brian. He was a good man who would put his family first. He just didn't understand that her family was more than Daryl and her girls. She loved Tyreese like a brother.  
"My grandmother used to have an old print on her desk. A boy was carrying a younger boy, the caption read, "He's Not Heavy, He's My Brother". Grandma believed in helping everyone, but I am not that kind and good. I protect my family first. Tyreese is my brother and he would do this for me. We might not find the right antibiotics and he might die before we get back, but we are going to try."

Brian said, "This is crazy, but I am on Team Carol. Let's go."

Carol knew Brian meant well, but this run required stealth and experience in doing runs. Brian wasn't stealthy and he hadn't been on a lot of runs. "You just got bumped off of Team Carol. No arguments. You don't know have the skills and you'll get us killed."

Brian started the truck and figured that he would be able to talk with the others. Carol was just being stubborn. There wasn't more than an hour of daylight left. He drove Carol back up the mountain. There were several trucks parked in the driveway.

Carl and Michonne were back and Carol went to them first. Michonne said, "They were already at the trucks when we got there. They're dead and one of Jon's friends took those bodies down to the sheriff."

Carol nodded and got right to the point, "Tyreese has an infection from a wound. He has a high fever and the antibiotics at the prison aren't working. He's going to die if we don't find stronger antibiotics."

Michonne said, "We can leave early in the morning, that way we can be on the road when daylight comes.  
Andrea took the list from Carol, and looked it over. "These are high powered antibiotics; we'll need to look in hospitals for these."

Carol asked, "How do you know that?"

Andrea answered, "I had a client once who was suing a hospital for not using strong enough antibiotics on her son when he was in the hospital. I did lots of research about antibiotics to prepare for trial. Where is the nearest hospital or nursing home?

Carl got out the map and they started marking places that might have hospital or some sort of extended care facilities. Michonne said, "I am in charge."

Carol looked up and smiled for the first time since she had seen how sick Tyreese was. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Michonne sat down and started writing down what they would need. Carl and Brian went out to check the new trucks to see if they were in good shape. Carol and Andrea started to pack food and water. Lizzie and Mika sat and watched.

Carol heard a vehicle at the gate and knew Carl and Brian would let them in. She wasn't surprised to see Josh and Sasha coming through the door. Sasha got right to the point, "I am going with you."

Carol looked at Michonne who regarded Sasha thoughtfully. Sasha was fast and didn't lose her shit when things got hairy, "Don't you want to be with Tyreese?"

Sasha's lips trembled a bit, "Tyreese has been taking care of me since our parents got killed in a car wreck by a drunk driver. I was twelve and he was twenty one. I won't fall apart. I promise".

Josh said, "I am going with Sasha."

Michonne looked him over. He was maybe twenty or twenty one. Six feet or so and extremely fit. His dad had trained him like the Army ranger he was born to be. "I am the one in charge. This trip ain't the Love Boat, are you're prepared to follow my orders?" Michonne wasn't going to have a pissing contest with anyone on this run.

Josh smiled, "Seriously? Twenty one years living in Major Patrick McAllister's house has taught me to follow orders or bear the consequences."

Michonne said, "You two will ride together, I will need a distraction and you two look like you could do it. Now sit down and let's talk this over.

Michonne discussed her plan. They would head to a hospital, find the pharmacy, and hope to find the antibiotics. Carol knew that it was always a lot more complicated than that. She ate a sandwich and drank some milk.

Carl and Brian came back in and joined the party. Brian had driven back to his house and told them that he was staying at this house tonight. Carol knew that Michonne would throw him off the team so there were no worries there.

Michonne eyed Carl. He was not going and she needed to put it in a way to make it palatable to him. "Carl, you are staying here. Someone has to look after Judith and the girls " Carl looked mutinous but Michonne continued, "You handled yourself like a man last night and this afternoon when we got those last two guys. Carol needs to know that Lizzie and Mika have someone here who can do the job. That's you Carl. You get the job done".

Carl frowned but looked at Judith and nodded. He didn't really like runs as much as protecting what you had. He didn't want his dad to come back and find him off on some run and Judith not being guarded.

Michonne looked at Brian. Not young, not fast, and not experienced with runs. If Daryl came home and found him sleeping in this house he would need to be younger and faster to keep from getting a bolt in his ass. He was a good guy but he was not going. "We need you here, you and Tyreese are close. You stay here tonight and tomorrow morning you can go to the hospital and stay with Tyreese. Carl can handle things during the day and if for some reason we aren't back by dark tomorrow you stay here tomorrow night.

Brian realized that he had just been thrown off of Team Carol for the second time, but at least Michonne had been polite about it. He agreed.

Carol took the girls and went to bed. Judith was asleep in her crib .They curled up beside her and she talked with them about things that had happened. They went to sleep easily and she lay in bed thinking she was sleeping with everyone but Daryl. She smiled thinking that she should be careful telling Daryl that when he got back, especially when he found Brian was sleeping on the couch at their house. She gave a silent prayer that he was safe and would be back soon.

Michonne and Andrea went upstairs to their rooms to get some sleep. Jon and Sasha went back to Jesse's to check on the place but agreed to meet early the next morning. Carl gave Brian a blanket and pillow for the couch, and then Carl went upstairs. Brian went to sleep on the couch trying not to think about Carol just down the hall.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Carol slept well but had woken up with a disturbing image in her mind. She dressed quickly and went into the great room and woke up Brian. He started awake and she shushed him. "Wake up, Brian. I want you to go and get Emily for me. Tell her that I want her to go with us today".

Brian was now awake and suddenly conscious that part of his body was not thinking about Daryl right now. "What time is it? Shit, I hope I don't get shot by Ashton." He sat up in bed and his hair was all over the place and Carol had the errant thought that he was an attractive man. Some part of her wanted him to pull her to him and kiss her. Instead, she pushed herself away and said, "Get up with you now, go get Emily ".

Carol went to wake Michonne and Andrea. She wasn't happy with herself for feeling that way about Brian, but she knew it wasn't something that she would ever act on. Not every errant thought should be followed through; she was lonesome for Daryl and a little frightened by this run. Michonne was already getting dressed and she discussed a change in the plan and Michonne agreed. Andrea came into the room dressed and ready to go. They trooped downstairs and had something to eat. Michonne checked supplies and they waited for Brian to come back with Emily.

Brian came back with Emily and she and Carol went into the kitchen and had an intense private conversation. Emily had been awake when he arrived at the gate and she had let him in. She didn't seem too surprised that Carol wanted her to go. She woke up Arya and sent her to Ashton and Jo's house.

Josh and Sasha parked at the gate and walked in. They looked ready to go. It was still dark outside but they should get moving.

Michonne gave the final plan. Brian had talked with her this morning about a hospital about 125 miles from here. It was a cancer center and he had taken his mother there. They did surgeries there as well as cancer treatments. Michonne decided to make that their destination. There would be three trucks. Truck One; Sasha and Josh, Truck Two: Michonne, Carol, and Andrea, and Truck Three: Emily and Brian.

Brian wasn't sure how he got back on Team Carol but Emily seemed to understand her role in this run. He was nervous, but he checked his weapons and calmed himself. He and Tyreese had become good friends in the last few weeks. This was about helping Tyreese.

…

Their truck convoy passed Ashton on his way to the house to check on the kids. Carol knew that he would make sure that they were safe while she was away.

Emily and Brian had a pleasant morning drive. Brian was naturally a good natured man and Emily had a wry sense of humor. He kept joking that at any time Michonne was going to toss him off and send him home. Emily had been married to a brilliant man who was also an ass. Brian wasn't brilliant but he wasn't an ass either. She found Brian to be enjoyable to be around and was surprised at how quickly the drive had taken. Brian was remembering how to flirt with a woman and he enjoyed her quick wit. Emily was very pretty when she smiled, he thought, and he told her a funny story about one of his horses and was rewarded with a particularly engaging grin. Brian knew he had better move on this McAllister woman before someone else saw her face light up when she smiled, and he smiled to himself planning his good neighbor campaign.

The conversation in the Michonne, Andrea, and Carol vehicle was more ribald. Andrea had asked Carol if she was matchmaking by bringing Brian and Emily along. Andrea was pretending that she had wanted Brian for herself, "One of the few unattached men on the hill and Carol sets him up with Emily".

Michonne snorted, "I thought that you were signed up for long vacation on the Celibacy Cruise Line. What changed your mind?"

Carol laughed, "Don't worry, Rick will be back soon. You surely can wait another few days." No one had said anything about Rick kissing her as he had left the mountain on the run.

Michonne had thought about the Rick/Andrea hookup. It would only work if Rick had loosened his tight ass up enough to let Andrea be Andrea. He had come back from his slave experience a better man. He was more stable, kinder, and less judgmental. "It is truth time, do you want to go to the prom with Rick?"

Andrea laughed at the prom question; her prom days were long over. "Maybe, you know that I always pick the damn crazy man out of a herd of normal men and then get mad because they are crazy. Rick has been the Mayor of Crazy Town for sure, but he is past that I think. He got the crazy baked out of him as he slaved in the hot sun for twelve hours a day when he was captured."

Michonne said, "If he goes crazy again, we will just drop him off there for a refresher course".

Andrea winced, "That might work. I do like Rick; he's a sexy guy and good in bed."

Carol said, "You and Rick have had sex?"

Andrea squirmed a bit, "No, I can tell two thinks about men, level of craziness is one and level of expertise in bed. Like Carol I have a gift, mine has been personally useful in the past. I just need to learn that being crazy should trump being good in bed."

Michonne said, "So what about Brian?"

Andrea said, "No crazy vibe whatsoever and a gentle and thorough lover".

Carol said, "I hope so since I am sure that he and Emily will be together. I think her husband was a dud and she deserves some happiness".

Andrea said, "Jesse is imaginative and agile, you lucky thing. He is verbal and entertaining. Playful and loving. Now isn't that all true?"

Michonne agreed, but decided to deflect the conversation, "What about Daryl?  
Carol protested, "I know how he is and there is no need to let Andrea speculate".

Andrea ignored her, "Daryl is an absolute dud in bed. He is afraid of physical contact other people. Strictly a slam, bam, and thank you, Mam kind of guy with anyone but Carol. He puts Carol in a special category to be loved, adored, and satisfied in bed because he loves, adores, and wants to satisfy her out of bed. He craves physical and emotional contact with her and regards every day with her as some sort of gift from a benevolent God. He is a lucky man and he knows it".

Carol flushed a little, "Yes, but know this, I feel the same way about him".

Michonne veered the conversation to Rick, "Well, what about Rick?"

Andrea flushed a little herself, "Repressed and closed off emotionally. Intense and high maintenance but he gets the job done."

Carol thought that Brian sounded like a better deal, but ventured a question. "Do you want to be with Rick?"

Andrea sighed, "Yes, I do. We connected at the plantation and on the way home. He is a loving father and I love him as strange as that sounds out loud".

Michonne said, "Sounds like you are getting ready to jump ship off of Celibacy Cruises. You tell him if he hurts you I will castrate him with my katana."

Carol was looking at the map. "We are getting off at the next exit".

Andrea and Michonne started laughing and joking about "getting off". Carol gave them her sternest look, "You two should be in middle school. Now get your mind on finding antibiotics for Tyreese".

….

Brian took the lead position in going to the cancer center and Carol was glad to see that he took a route that kept them out of the heart of this small city. There were walkers around but no large groups and the facility was at the edge of town. Brian parked on the large parking lot and they met and talked. The building was modern and was three stories tall. There were two main entrances. The left side was for chemotherapy and radiation. The right side was for surgical procedures. His mother had had surgery here and she had stayed there for two days on the second floor. The actual surgeries were on the first floor and the doctor offices were on the third floor. There weren't a lot of cars in the parking lot and most were on the chemotherapy said of the building. They drove closer to the building and parked the vehicles with facing the exit roads.

The door was locked and Brian used a pry bar to open it. Michonne told him to prop it open. She didn't want anything to slow them down at the end. They were met in the hall by a couple of walkers and Josh and Sasha took them down and moved them to the side. Everyone switched on their flashlights and Brian let the way to the surgical unit. There were more walkers in the hall and they moved slowly and carefully. They slipped inside of the unit and found more walkers around the receptionist desk. Brian was amazed at how quietly and efficiently they took down walkers. No one used a gun even though they all had them.

They moved as a group toward the recovery area. It was a large room with many beds. The patients were awake and it was necessary to take them all down before they could check for drugs. Brian and Michonne watched one entrance and Josh and Sasha watched the other while Emily, Carol, and Andrea searched for antibiotics. They did find some but only one was on the list.

Brian moved to pre-op and cleared it out and found one more. They were collecting lots of painkillers as well. Michonne decided to go upstairs. They slipped up the stairs and onto the surgical floor. The fighting there was intense and lengthy. No one was bitten but it was because they understood how to fight as a group. Brian knew why he had been bumped off. He wasn't as good as they were at this.

Josh, Sasha, Michonne, and Brian guarded the nurse's station while the others searched for drugs. There were several here on the list and they gathered up the drugs they could find. Michonne called a halt and they started back. Brian and Josh grabbed a desk and used it to secure the door to the unit. It would hold long enough for them to get away. The moans and groans from the walkers sounded loud to Brian and he was glad to start down the stairs. The group made a hasty but cautious retreat and was soon out in the parking lot.

Michonne gave Josh and Sasha the bags of medicine collected on this run. "Go and take these to Tyreese". Sasha asked, "Aren't you coming?" Michonne shook her head, "We are going to do something else while we are here."

Carol told Brian, "This next part is scarier than what we just went through; you can go back with Josh and Sasha,"

Brian shook his head, "There you go trying to throw me off the team. No, I am sticking. You women may have the brains but I have the brawn. You may need me".

They watched as the truck carrying Josh and Sasha drove off, and Michonne said, "Now the fun really begins".


	29. The Swarm

**The fun is just beginning. I have had the next two chapters in mind since "Game Day". Carol kills two walkers while carrying Judith, but she is aided in that because one of the walkers was distracted by the sound of bagpipes**. **I would appreciate your leaving a review. **

The Swarm

Michonne asked Brian to park his truck close to the highway entrance and Andrea moved to the second row of the extended cab. Emily got in the back with Andrea and Carol and Brian moved to the front. Michonne entered the highway continuing east and she drove another thirty miles and pulled off of an exit. She headed on east on an access road that paralleled the highway for another few miles. Michonne had the ability to remember roads and highways as she traveled. She was never lost and she had remembered doing a run to this place. It was mostly farm land and she crested a big hill and pulled off at a wide place with a good view of the highway. Michonne turned the truck around so that it faced the other direction.

Carol and Emily got out and stood looking down toward the highway. Carol had grabbed her hand and both of them closed their eyes. Brian was standing beside of Emily and he saw the terror in her face when she opened her eyes. Carol was pale and trembling. He knew this wasn't good. Michonne and Andrea stood to the side. They waited for an hour and no one said much of anything.

Carol could feel them coming and grabbed Michonne and Andrea's hands. Emily was holding onto Brian which made Carol momentarily happy. A monster herd was staggering up the highway. Emily pulled away and went to the backpack she had brought and got out a camera, a notebook computer, and a calculator. She began typing on the computer keyboard.

Michonne could feel the tenseness in Carol's hands and she remembered the herd that she had seen in Georgia. Slowly the herd was advancing up the highway headed west. Michonne and Carol just watched the swarm move along the highway. Andrea grabbed the camera and started taking pictures and a video. Emily was making calculations and notes. They moved slowly and stayed bunched up. Brian felt utter terror. He wanted to grab the keys, throw everyone on the truck, and get the hell out of Dodge.

They moved slowly but purposely. Carol watched walkers join the group but nothing stopped their steady march. The first wave came even with their group and they couldn't see the last ones though it looked like stragglers at the end. Michonne motioned for them to get in the truck and there wasn't anyone wanting to stay for one more second. Michonne whispered to Brian to push the truck to start and she put it in neutral. He pushed it toward the slope and jumped in as quietly as possible without slamming the door. Michonne coasted down the hill and started the car on the upslope ahead of the herd. She drove quickly back to the highway and entered it far ahead of the herd and accelerated toward the mountains.

Carol had woken up this morning with the vision of the swarm headed toward Adair and McAllister Mountain. She was hoping it was just some sort of nightmare but Emily had the same vision. Michonne had listened to her story and believed her. Emily was along because she had the scientific skills to predict how fast they were traveling, how many there were, and because she was someone the others would trust. Brian was the ultimate local man; his testimony would convince the others to act.

Michonne dropped Brian and Emily off at his truck and was glad to see that he kept up with her all the way home. They went first to the acting sheriff and showed him what they had. He agreed to have a meeting that evening to discuss plans to handle the threat. He seemed skeptical but the meeting was set for five that evening. No one liked to stay out after dark and Carol thought the earlier they got started the better. There was a plan running around in her mind and she needed some time to think it through.

The hospital was the next stop and Dr. Hakim thanked them for all the medicines. He had administered more antibiotics to Tyreese and was holding his own. Tyreese smiled faintly as they came in. Sasha was sitting beside him and she hugged everyone. Emily told them that there was a meeting at five that evening.

Everyone went back to the mountain. Emily wanted to go over her notes and to prepare a presentation. Brian needed to check on his family. Michonne drove Carol and Andrea in through the gate, got out of the truck, and vomited. Andrea held her head. Carol got her a bottle of water. They waited until she was her normal enigmatic self before going into the house. Carl was feeding Judith and the girls were at the barn. Carol walked down to the barn to see the Lizzie and Mika. Michonne and Andrea would fill Carl in and she just needed to see her children.

The girls hugged her and asked about Tyreese. Carol said that he had the new medicine but it hadn't had time to start working yet. Carol walked over to Cuddy who put her head down for a Carol hug. Carol pushed her head close to the horse and stroked her mane. She wished that she could take the horse out for a long ride and just look at the autumn leaves. There wasn't time for that but she was going to take the horse for a short run and asked Lizzie to see if Carl and Michonne wanted a run. She wasn't surprised that everyone but Andrea and Judith joined her. The horses needed the exercise. Michonne rode Latifah and led Amir. The ride went longer than it probably should but it felt good to be on horseback and seeing the place that she loved.

Andrea had cooked some pasta and vegetables when they got back. Everyone ate heartedly even Michonne. Carol took a quick shower and dressed quickly. Andrea noted that Carol had chosen to wear blue jeans, a nice sweater, and beautiful scarf that Daryl had brought back for her. She was wearing her engagement ring and a set of blue diamond earrings that Daryl had given her some time ago. Carol looked beautiful and Andrea figured Carol wearing things that Daryl had given her meant something to her.

They all dressed up. Carol had set a high bar but everyone knew by now that this was not ordinary meeting. They either stopped the swarm on all would be lost. Andrea had sensed that the swarm was headed toward them because they were its prey. Adair was the first town on the highway that had a good number of people living in or around the place.

They went in the suv that Andrea and Rick had made it here in. It wasn't big enough but they squeezed in anyway. Michonne said, "That's it, I am looking for a minivan on my next run". Carl said, "Do they make turbo minivans?" Michonne smirked, "I'll find one".

The meeting was held at the high school gymnasium and the place was full. Ashton had saved them seats up front. They squeezed in. Ashton kept bringing people for her to meet. The place was full up and the outside hallway was filled.

The meeting started at five. The sheriff introduced Dr. Emily McAllister and she gave a presentation complete with photographs, maps, calculations, and a video. Emily told them that the swarm was headed up the mountain at a steady pace and would be here in less than forty eight hours. There was at least seven thousand in the herd and might be more before they got this far. Adair was in its path. The audience was silent at the end.

Brian got up and talked with them. He had been there and had seen the swarm. They were headed their way and there wasn't too much between here and there to distract them.

The sheriff said that he had been working on a plan. He put up a map and pointed out a good place for an ambush. They would just wait until the herd got there and then kill them all. That idea was met with raucous approval. It seemed right that they would take on this herd and mow them down. Carol found herself shaking her head; this was the last thing they needed to do. She remembered Emily's words to her, "_Carol, you must learn to trust it. Don't be afraid to stand up and say what needs to be said"._

For the first time in her life, Carol stood up to speak in front of a large group. She waited until they stopped speaking and she nodded to the sheriff who was a well-meaning idiot, but an idiot nonetheless. She turned to the crowd, "My name is Carol McAllister and I want to talk to you for just a few minutes. I understand that you want to stand your ground and kill every creature in that swarm, but just listen please. We could do that but I have no idea how many rounds of ammunition that you have but it would take at least ten thousand rounds and you will need those ammo to hunt and protect your families with. Every shot would have to be a kill shot and that just doesn't happen.

When you start firing your weapons at the swarm it will break apart and move toward the sound. That means hundreds and maybe thousands will be headed toward you. Your lines will break apart and you will be killed and will join the swarm headed toward your homes. There are too many of them and too few of us to take them out that way.

I am asking you to consider another option. We could use the heavy equipment used at the dam to create a gigantic crater and draw them in. They will fall in like lemmings one after the other until the swarm is contained. We will have fuel at the bottom of the crater and when we have the swarm inside we set the fuel on fire. We use the fuel to destroy all of the swarm and after they are dead. We take the heavy equipment and seal up the dead in one large grave.

A man stood up in the back and asked, "How will you get the swarm to go into the hole?"

Carol answered, "That is a good question. The day of the Highland Games I was waiting on the mountain for my clan to come up the hill. Two walkers came out of a field right at me. I got one but I don't know I could have gotten the other one in time. Just then the sound of the bagpipes started and the walker turned away from me toward that sound. I was able to kill that one or I probably wouldn't be here now. I think if we put speakers in the crater and play bagpipe music that they will move toward that sound, but we can't start firing our weapons or it will be lost.

Another man stood up, "Do you think it or do you "see" it?"

Carol said, "I see what will happen if you start firing into the herd. The walkers will start moving in every direction and there won't be any way to stop them."

Emily stood up too, "We have a chance if we follow Carol's plan and none if we plan an ambush".

There was commotion for a bit and the sheriff finally got them under control. A tall man toward the front stood up. He looked familiar to Carol but she couldn't remember where. "The Clan McCullough has voted and we will behind the McAllister Plan and its Clan Chief".

Brian stood up, "The McKenzies are behind the McAllister Plan.

Ashton stood up, "The McAllisters support the Plan and our Clan Chief.

One by one the community clans stood up and swore allegiance to the plan. The sheriff sat back down. Carol whispered to Ashton, "Who is the Clan Chief? Patrick is not here."  
Ashton whispered to Carol, "Patrick is the War Chief. You are the Clan Chief; we met before this meeting and chose you."

Carol whispered, "It should be you, Ashton. They don't really know me."

Ashton said, "Better get up there and start picking people to get this started".

Carol looked at Michonne and Andrea, they nodded to her. She stood up and said, "Thank you, we have no time to waste. We need to pick a place to put the crater. Brian McKenzie and Emily McAllister will direct the creation of the crater. The McCullough Clan will get the fuel together. I need a group to monitor the movement of the herd. I need a group to get the sound system in. We need the local enforcement officers to ensure that the whole community be aware of our plan every step of the way. We will work together to put this swarm down. Everyone cheered.

The Clan Chiefs met with Carol after the meeting and together they divided up the work. They chose the crater site and Emily and Brian gathered a group to move the heavy equipment toward the site. It was very late when Brian dropped Emily off at her house and Carol at hers.

Carol was glad to see that there were lights on in the house and even happier to see that Michonne and Andrea were awake and waiting for her. They talked until very late and Carol felt better but still was worried that she was in over her head. Michonne reassured her, "Carol, you are doing great. You brought the clans together and have shared the tasks and responsibilities. These people will bring your plan to life. You are listening to advice and you always will have Andrea and I to keep you grounded."  
Carol finally crawled into bed between Lizzie and Mika who seemed to be taking permanent possession of her bed. She wished that Daryl was here to send the girls upstairs and to "love, adore, and satisfy her in bed'. She was really too tired to want anything more than Daryl to hold until she fell asleep. She sent a message to Daryl where ever he was telling him that she loved him. Then, she fell asleep and dreamed of walking with Daryl along a tree lined trail. She and Daryl were holding hands and laughing about something. She was smiling when she woke up very early the next morning.

**Carol's horse is named Cuddy because the Scottish word for horse is Cuddy. So give me a review, do you think Carol's plan as a chance?**


	30. The Precipice

**Carol's plan is coming to fruition this chapter, but there are so many variables that can affect the outcome. She is stronger than she was in the prison because she isn't just depending on her own self, Carol has friends in low and high places and she will call on them to guide her through this ordeal. **

The Precipice

The last few days were now a blur to Carol. She and Emily had been living on some atrocious coffee and whatever Jo and Andrea had been bringing by to eat. Either Michonne or Andrea had been with her every step of the way. Michonne was an excellent battle strategist and Andrea brought her experience in litigation to help soothe over wounded egos and strained tempers.

Carol was at the center of every decision but she took the time to get all the advice she could get. She allowed groups to hash out their ideas and complaints without the need to give too much input. She took the time to listen and complement everyone's efforts. She let others take credit for her ideas with a smile.

Michonne had surveyed the crater site and the area around it and had talked with the MMB and the other militias in discussing what needed to be done. And she had played nice when doing it; Michonne had been told often enough by Jesse that her smile was disarming and she used it with good measure. The militia leaders all knew Jesse and knew that she was his "woman" and she came to recognize that made her a "McAllister". She was kin now and they treated her with respect. Michonne figured that they knew that Jesse would kick their ass to hell and back if they didn't.

Michonne used her smile and her connections to sweetly browbeat them into drawing back from the crater site. She suggested that they move most of the militias to a fallback position five miles away. If the swarm didn't go into the crater and continued up the road then they could attack from a strategic position. That seemed to satisfy the men who didn't trust the crater plan.

Andrea smiled as much as Michonne and brought her beautiful blonde self to the crater site at all hours with hot baked goods and a genuine enthusiasm for their hard work. The men building the crater site were working continuously. They had blasted out a crater site and then the heavy equipment was moving the dirt out. The crater sides were cut too steep for any walker to climb. They left a way in and way out for the heavy equipment and at the end they were going to take those out too. Andrea's presence always cheered the worker's spirits. They needed no help to be motivated. The video of the herd was played continuously in their break room.

Brian and Emily had made a good team; she knew what needed to be done and he had the ability to motivate and encourage the workers in getting it done. Together they had chosen the site and had not left it since. Emily was almost too tired to think and Brian was almost too tired to move, but together they had brought Carol's vision to fruition.

Carol was anxious about home and hearth. Jon's friends were watching the homestead and she suspected that they were enjoying Grandma Nancy stash of booze in the basement. Lizzie, Mika, and Judith were staying with Jo. Carl was taking care of the animals and spending the rest of his time with Andrea, Michonne, and Carol.

Carol was also taking breaks to go visit the local Presbyterian Church. She had asked the local pastor to keep it open until the crisis was passed. She went there to pray and found that much of Adair was making their way there. There had been church service given in every place of worship in the area each night.

Carol visited with a recovering Tyreese at the hospital twice a day. He hated that he couldn't help with the work. Carol asked him to pray for those that were doing the work. They needed that too.

There were those who believed that prayer had worked because the swarm's progress had begun to slow. The slower pace had given them more time to finish the crater and now as the swarm was getting close everything was done.

The McCullough's had put fuel in the crater and had devised a method of keeping the flames fed. They had to every house in the area asking for fuel and the community had given what they had.

The music was going to be broadcast from the opposite side of the pit. Concrete blocks housed the speakers. The music was going to be set off remotely.

The bravest were standing by to set the fuel on fire. They were situated on the mountain above the crater and they were going to shoot flaming arrows into the pit. They had been practicing and had done a demonstration the night before.

Carol, Michonne, Andrea, Carl, Brian, Emily, Ashton, and the sheriff were watching from a lookout point on the mountaintop. The sheriff's men were patrolling the mountain to make sure that no one ventured down with their deer rifle to take a pot shot at the herd. This plan could fall apart if the swarm was spooked.

Brian was using binoculars to watch the progress of the swarm as it approached. It moved slowly but still purposely on both lanes of the highway. He held the binoculars with one hand and held Emily's hand with the other.

Carol held onto Michonne and Andrea. Ashton hugged Carl. The sheriff had one of his deputies take a few digital pictures of him as he waited for the swarm to come. They moved relentlessly on and when they got within 100 yards the sound of bagpipes began. Brian watching the herd knew exactly when they heard the bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" because their heads turned toward the sound. They had adjusted the sound so that it started low and then got louder. The herd seemed to listen and slowly one row at a time they began to move toward the sound. The song would was on continuous play until this was done.

Carol just listened to the music; "Amazing Grace" had been played at her father's military funeral. That song played by bagpipes had the power to raise the hair on the back of her neck after all this time. Then, she moved and watched as thousands of walkers moved toward that sound as if it had some answer for them. Maybe it did she mused, moving toward that sound would bring them the peace that was denied them as walkers. She watched the first tide of walkers step into the abyss and slowly as if they were moving to that song the others kept walking and falling over. The last walker found itself walking out onto the bodies of those who had gone on before.

By that time the fiery arrow had ignited the fuel and the long process on incinerating the walkers had begun. The smell was overpowering, but no one moved from the lookout. Respect had to be paid for those lost souls whose bodies were being consumed. The McCulloughs had arranged for some very dry wood to be added to the crater and those flames added to the conflagration.

Emily and Brian went down and joined the crew that was mopping up the operation. They were ensuring that the walkers were truly dead, and then filling the crater in. There was a celebration to be held at the football field. Carol wanted to go home but Michonne and Andrea pushed her to attend.

Ashton had gone home to pick up Jo and the children. This was the kind of day that they should never forget. He went over to Carol's and found that house sitters were drunk and would miss the whole thing. He would send Jon back to get them later.

It was a glorious afternoon in the mountains. The weather was cool and dry and there were still enough colorful leaves on the trees to make it more beautiful. There were prayers of thanksgiving and songs from some local musicians. The sheriff gave a speech and Carol was asked to speak.

Carol figured that she should keep this short and simple. She remembered to start with something true and just let that guide her," I am so proud to be part of this community. You didn't give up when this all started two years ago. You stood together and you managed to keep this place alive when the rest of the world crumbled. This latest crisis is just another example of how strong and tough you really are. You didn't crumble, you didn't run, you worked tirelessly together to find a way to keep this community alive. You will face other challenges, this new world has many challenges, but you know how to conquer challenges. You work together and you ask God to help you. Now, I am going to celebrate this victory by going home and a good evening to you all. "

Carol sat back down and there was a final prayer. She was thanked by many on her way to Michonne's new minivan. How and where she managed to get a minivan no one seemed to know, but the whole family was able to go up on the mountain together.

The house showed some signs of a party, but they all worked together to clean it up. Carl accompanied the girls to check on the horses while Andrea made spaghetti because it was a Wednesday. They all ate at the dining room table. Carol had lit some candles and Judith laughed from her high chair. Michonne gave the prayer and their thoughts were on those they loved that weren't at that table tonight.

**I know that was a little preachy, but I am going with there not being any atheists in foxholes. Church attendance is always up in tumultuous times. **


	31. Vulnerable

**The muse wants to shift gears from all the action of the last few chapters to a few quiet scenes at the homestead. She promises that she will bring back those wayward men from where ever she sent them chapters ago, but just not yet. This chapter is dedicated to the folk at the homestead and their awareness that the commonality that they share is that they are all vulnerable. **

Vulnerable

Carol woke up the next morning with the familiar feeling that her bed had surpassed capacity and was now sinking under the weight of too many bodies. Lizzie and Mika had slept in her bed again last night. Mika slept quietly but somehow seemed to take and enormous amount of space. Lizzie had those bony elbows and moved around all night. Tonight she was sending them back to their own beds. She had seen so little of them in the last few days that she had given in to their request to sleep in her bed one more night.

Carol slipped out of bed and dressed as she watched them sleep. They looked so young and innocent in their sleep. She was suddenly struck at how vulnerable they were; the last few days had highlighted how vulnerable they all were.

Carl was up when she went into the kitchen. He had started the stove and there was hot water in the teapot. She rumpled his hair and he looked up from his book and smiled at her. "It's about time you got back to doing some work around here," he teased, "I am tired of doing women's work".

Carol gave him a good natured whack on the head, "There is no woman's work or man's work, it is just work and we all have work to do".

Carl glanced at her and asked," Do you think that your work today might include making some pancakes?"

Carol smiled, "Yes, that sounds like work I could do right now". She looked at the boy; he had taken Judith's crib into his room last night and the baby monitor was lying beside his book. As soon as Judith woke up he would go upstairs, change her diaper, and carry her downstairs. This young man deserved pancakes.

"I don't think I gave you enough praise for what you did that night that the raiders tried to take this house. I saw how big the man what that you brought down. Your bringing him down so quietly was the key to everything. I am going to tell your dad when he gets back," Carol kept her voice light but sincere.

Carl flushed, "No I in team". The baby monitor relayed the sounds of Judith wanting company and he smiled at Carol and headed upstairs.

Lizzie had woken up feeling a little off and she got up and went to the bathroom. She pulled her panties down and sat on the commode, and then she saw the bright red blood on her panties and in her urine. Carol had talked with her and Mika about this. This looked a little scary but it was just her first period. Lizzie sat there and thought about how many times in her life this was going to happen. It made her feel strange to think that her body was doing all of this so that she could have a baby. She didn't want any babies. She wanted to be an artist and spend her days painting and drawing. Lizzie found the tampons and pads where Carol had showed her that she kept them. She started with a pad because the instructions on the box said to start there for the first day or so and then switch to a tampon later on. The pad felt big and bulky and Lizzie decided that she wasn't going to wear one of these longer than necessary.

Lizzie got dressed; she thought that she wanted to tell Carol about this. She went into the kitchen to find Carol and Carl feeding Judith. Lizzie wasn't going to share her big news with Carl. She and Carl talked about a lot of personal things; he had told her about what had happened when Judith was born and she had told him about the locked door and her mother's death. That talk had sealed their bond of friendship, but he didn't need to know that she had crossed this threshold.

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Carol thought that Lizzie looked a little pale when she hugged her good morning. Then, everyone started coming in for breakfast and there wasn't a chance to talk. The women concentrated on house cleaning and Carl went to the barn to take care of the horses.

Carol went to change the sheets in her bedroom and saw a few small spots of blood where Lizzie slept. She sat down on the bed for a moment remembering Lizzie being a little pale this morning. Carol gathered up the sheets and then checked the bathroom to see if Lizzie had found the supplies. She found evidence in the waste can that Lizzie had used a pad and she checked the supplies. There was plenty of everything there and then it occurred to Carol that she had skipped a period or two. She had always been irregular so she hadn't thought too much about it. Was she going through menopause? She was 43 and that was certainly possible. The other possibility was that she was pregnant.

Carol sat down on the commode. It was certainly in the realms of possibility that could be pregnant. She had figured that her peak fertility time was long past and hadn't bothered with birth control. There was a stash of pregnancy tests in the basement along with the other feminine hygiene products. She went down to the basement and grabbed one. The test was simple and she got the result quickly. According to the pee stick she was going to have a baby.

Carol felt more panic than any other emotion. She was living in a world in which a swarm of walkers could be headed your way at any time. Marauders could attack your home for your supplies and to take slaves. You could die in many interesting ways at any time; she was too old for this shit. But, if she made it through and the baby was a boy she was naming him Michael McAllister-Dixon after her father. She didn't bother with a girl name because she saw Michael for the first time then. He was sitting on Daryl's lap and she saw that he looked like Daryl but he grinned at her and she saw by the way his face lit up that he had her smile.

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Michonne had heaved her breakfast up and Andrea had gone in to check on her. Andrea had decided that Michonne was sick because she was worried about Jesse. Andrea wiped Michonne's sweaty face with a cool wash rag and tried to soothe her, "Michonne, you need to calm down. Jesse will be fine; they haven't been gone all that long. You are making yourself sick worrying about him."

Michonne had stopped throwing up and took the wash cloth from Andrea. "So you think if I just stop worrying about Jesse then I will stop being sick to my stomach". Andrea patted her face and said, "Michonne, I think that you love Jesse so much that you are making yourself sick".

Michonne started laughing. "Well, you are right: my loving Jesse has made me sick. Andrea, I am pregnant. This is morning sickness you silly goose. What was your score on the LSAT? Did they just let you in because dumb blondes got so many slots that year?"

Andrea was ecstatic over the baby until she remembered that Michonne had a caesarian with the birth of her child. Michonne saw her face change from happy to fearful and thought that is the way the world is now. Our first reaction is happy, but that gets wiped out by fear. Andrea managed, "Michonne, I am so happy for you. There are doctors in Adair and you will be fine. Does Jesse know?"

Michonne nodded, "Jesse and the other men went to get the equipment for the hydroelectric dam. He wants to make sure the hospital is fully functional".

Andrea saw a trace of guilt there, "They would have done it any way. Oh, that is why Carol wasn't mad when she came back. Daryl told her didn't he? Did everybody know but me?"

Michonne said, "I haven't said anything to anybody but Jesse, but he told Daryl and Rick I know."

"When is this little cracker going to pop out of you?" Andrea asked.

"Seven months from now if everything goes well," Michonne answered, "And why are you calling my bundle of joy a cracker?"

"He or she is a "Graham cracker". Now what was your score on the LSAT?"

Andrea hugged and kissed Michonne despite the fact that she still smelling like vomit. "I am going to tease your ass off, but I am so happy for you that I could cry." Andrea did cry and then said, "My LSAT scores got me in Duke Law School I will have you know."

Michonne laughed, "Affirmative action for dumb blondes got you in Duke."

Lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Lizzie, Mika, and Carl took the horses to the meadow for some exercise that afternoon. The horses enjoyed being out in the sun and Carl kept a close eye on them while Lizzie drew and Mika wove some leather into bracelets. Mika wanted to go back to the house and Carl and Lizzie walked her back to the gate. They watched her from there all the way into the house and Lizzie and Carl walked back to the horses.

Lizzie wanted to finish her drawing and Carl seemed content to watch the horses. Lizzie glanced up to see Carl looking at her. "What are you drawing?"

Lizzie knew Carl did not see her as a sister and she didn't see him as a brother. They were friends but lately there was a trace of something more. Her thirteenth birthday was just days away and this morning's surprise had shown her that she was being propelled toward adulthood with or without her permission. More than her body was changing; she had found herself flirting with Carl. She knew what flirting was; Carol flirted with Daryl all the time. She liked flirting with Carl. She just wasn't ready for anything else.

Lizzie held out the drawing. She had drawn Carl leaning against a rock reading his book. He liked it she could tell. She looked at it again and thought that Carl looked peaceful and content in the drawing. He stood up and offered her his hand to get up and she took it. He held it longer than was needed and she was sorry when he released her hand. The horses followed them back and Carl asked, "Do you think we can take a ride later? I would like to saddle Morgan and take a long ride".

Lizzie wasn't sure about a long ride; she was content just to walk through the meadow with the horses today. "Let's check with Michonne and Carol when we get back?"

Michonne, Carol, and Andrea were sitting on the front porch enjoying the sun and a glass of decaffeinated tea. Carol wanted Daryl to know before anyone else that she was pregnant. She did tell Michonne and Andrea that Lizzie had started her period that morning but that she hadn't a chance to talk with her.

Michonne said, "Carl likes her, you know that. He will never be a boy; he's a young man. Don't worry about him. I can read him like a book; he's waiting until she grows up. Now, he's isn't waiting until she is twenty-one. He's fourteen and he isn't going to do anything to hurt her. He remembers what happened with his mother."

Carol was a little upset by the news that her little girl was being "waited on". "Daryl said that Carl is up to no good. He says Carl watches her all the time and it reminds him of him watching me before we got together. She isn't even thirteen yet. He's got a long wait".

Michonne and Andrea exchanged smiles. Andrea said, "I remember thirteen. We will all keep an eye on them, but this generation will grow up faster than ours. "She went on to say, "Was I the last person on this mountain to know that Michonne is knocked up?"

Carol confessed, "Daryl told me, but I didn't say anything. It was Michonne's news not mine"

There was something odd about the way Carol had expressed herself that made Andrea look at her again. Andrea narrowed her eyes at Carol. "It was Michonne's news, not mine" almost sounded like Carol had some news of her own. She wondered if Carol had some sort of "sight" experience and she was hoping that it didn't have anything to with raiders or swarms.

"Do you have some news?" Andrea asked Carol. She could tell by the reaction in Carol's face that she did and for once she wasn't the last one to know, "Dear God, it's contagious. You and the ninja are both preggers. It's a good thing I was on the Celibacy Cruise. Somebody has to be able to tie your shoes around her."

There was a short and intense group hug. "I was going to tell Daryl first. I did take a pregnancy test and it was positive. Don't tell anyone, "Carol warned.

Michonne said, "There is an ob-gyn in Adair. Dr. Melody Neal-Hakim has an office at the hospital. I have an appointment in the morning. You better ride in with me." She cast an eye at Andrea, "Are you sure?"

Andrea protested, "I have done nothing more than an impure thought or two, or maybe more. So, I can't be pregnant, but given that something is in the water I might make an appointment for next month. Rick will be home soon."

They all laughed and then watched Lizzie and Carl lead the horses into the barn. Carol realized that Lizzie was growing up. The girl could take care of herself with a knife, a rifle, and a bow, but she was still vulnerable to having her heart broken and a million other hurts along the way. It went with the territory.

That night Carol asked the girls if they wanted to sleep downstairs with her. She and Lizzie had talked that afternoon so she listened to the girls chatter and made an occasional comment. She was just enjoying the feeling of having all her children lying close to her**. **

_**The muse says that Carol is going to have a baby so I have to go with it. No, the sad truth is that I fell in love with Carol's baby in "The Least" and I quit that story to write its mirror "I Ain't Nobody" so I want to Michael McAllister-Dixon to be born in this story. Do I need to write a wedding or just allude to one? Andrea has agreed to hold the shotgun, but I am fine with just a short paragraph describing a wedding that already taken place.**_


	32. Finding the Way Home

**The women have finally gotten the homestead safe and secure and it is time to turn our attention to brave heroes that departed to get the parts needed for the hydroelectric dam in Adair. They have been away for over ten days and they are more than ready to come home**.

Finding the Way Home

The men from McAllister Mountain just wanted to be home. They had spent more than ten days getting the parts and equipment that would turn the lights on in Adair and the surrounding communities. The needed parts and equipment had been stored in large warehouses and they had located what they needed within five days of leaving the mountain. There had been a minor skirmish with some local bad guys who wanted whatever they had even if they had no use for it. They had the rest of the time scrounging fuel and semis and then getting everything loaded in the big trucks. Finally, today they were starting the long journey back to Adair and home.

Glenn, the ultimate scrounger had found the parts and equipment on the list and added some that he thought would ultimately be useful. Glenn had loved working at the dam with Emily; the lovable slacker who had quit college to deliver pizzas had turned into an energized leader who knew what needed to be done and was willing to push people to get it done. Maggie was still getting used to a Glenn that would stay up half the night poring over engineering books to get the knowledge that he had tossed away at twenty. Glenn working alone at night would think about his parents; they would be pleased to know that their son had finally grown up. Maggie had surprised him on that last morning by giving him a baseball cap with an "A" on it. She had kissed him and said that Glenn the nerd needed to channel Glenn the quick moving and thinking scrounger to get back home safely. He knew the cap was from the local high school, the A stood for Adair as in Adair High School. Glenn had laughed and put the hat on and then kissed her goodbye.

Patrick was jumpy. It was time to go and Glenn was checking the loads one more time to make sure that they were securely fashioned. He had been reluctant to turn the leadership of this run to his nerdy kid but he had soon recognized that Glenn knew how to get around in this world. He was cautious and Patrick liked cautious. Patrick watched Glenn as he moved through the convoy and made sure that everyone had their radios. Patrick was driving the lead truck. Glenn was driving the second truck and Rick was driving the last truck. Daryl and Jesse were driving in front of the convoy to make sure that there were no roadblocks or ambushes.

Rick felt the butterflies in his stomach dance and flutter around his breakfast of cold oatmeal and water. Glenn had done a good job of getting these heavy parts loaded and secured, but Rick believed the journey home would be the most difficult leg of the journey. Three semi-trucks moving through hundreds of miles would be ringing the dinner bell for all sorts of dangers. They had scrounged until they had fuel enough to get home but that had been guesswork. Rick wanted to be out of here and back on the mountain with Carl and Judith. He knew that they were being cared for but he had come to realize that was his job. He missed Andrea more every day. He just wanted to get home and be with his family, his children and maybe one day Andrea would be part of that family.

Daryl and Jesse pulled out first. They had today's route mapped out but every turn in the road could be hiding some unpleasant surprise. Daryl was driving and Jesse was in shotgun and in charge of the radio. The morning drive went by smoothly. They were driving slowly but surely back to the North Carolina mountains by rural routes. No one was willing to risk traveling through big towns or cities.

They stopped for lunch out in the middle of nowhere. They could see in all directions and the trucks were parked in the middle of the two lane roads. Jesse had used the camp stove to heat up some canned beef stew. They ate heartedly and had some scavenged coffee. Glenn was tracking their progress and was happy to find that they were actually ahead of schedule. They had taken this route coming in and had already cleared vehicles and debris off of the road then. The hardest part of the trip in was clearing downed trees in the mountains but the road through should be fairly clear.

The afternoon went fairly smooth, with just a hiccup or two. They were passing through an area that had some heavily fortified farms that were occupied by people who minded their own business. The plan was just to move full speed ahead in those places. The people living in those farms didn't want any trouble.

Jesse had the last farm in sight when he saw walkers on the road. It looked like a fairly large herd and they were pushing against a fence and it wouldn't be long until they pushed it down. He radioed for the convoy to stop until he and Daryl handled the situation. Daryl drove closer; normally he would just avoid a herd this size but he hated the thought that the walkers would be headed toward the farmhouse. He looked at Jesse and saw that warrior look in his eye. Daryl grabbed his crossbow, his rifle, pistol, and knife. Let the games begin.

Jesse got out his side of the suv with his weapons. He used a katana, a machete, a rifle, pistol, knife, or whatever he could get his hands on. He yelled at the walkers, "You're ugly and you're Momma's fat". They turned their heads toward the sound ignoring the fences and began to shift toward them.

Jesse and Daryl used their rifles first. They were able to pick off the greater part of the herd in less than a minute. Then Daryl used his crossbow and Jesse used the katana. They were down to close quarter fighting when they heard rifle fire from the farm. Between the two groups they were able to clear out the rest of the herd in seconds. Daryl pulled out his bolts and he and Jesse put down all the walkers in the herd while the three men that helped them watched from their side of the fence.

Jesse spoke to the men, "Thank you, we appreciate your helping us."

The oldest of the men said, "I think we owe you and your friend the thanks. I am not sure that we could have gotten out here before they got the fence down."

Jesse smiled, "Our friends are right behind us in some trucks. We don't want any trouble. We are moving some stuff to our homes in the mountains. We'd appreciate if you would let us move through".

The three men spoke to each other quietly and the oldest man spoke again, "Go ahead, neighbor. I reckon you have some place you want to be and we aren't going to hold you up."

Daryl said suddenly, "Is there anything that you need? We have extra ammo if you need it."

The other man, "If you could spare it, we'd appreciate it."

Daryl opened up the back of the suv and pulled out three extra rifles and boxes of ammo. He walked close to the fence and left them on the ground. Jesse said, "I am getting on the radio and telling my friends to come on in. We have three trucks and they'll be traveling close together."

Daryl nodded at the men on the other side of the fence and got back into the suv Jesse got in and they moved on. The others passed through and waved to the men watching on the other side of the fence. Glenn could see children watching from the farmhouse porch. He tooted the horn and the kids waved at him.

Jesse asked, "Why did you give away weapons and ammo?" Jesse was happy to share; those people needed it more than they did.

Daryl squirmed a little in his seat, "I could see swings and slides out by the house. They had children to protect and they might be running low." Jesse just gave him that smile that lit up his face and made Daryl more homesick than ever.

They parked the trucks before dark at a high school. It was the biggest building in the rural area and they parked behind the building. They slept in their trucks that night.

The next day saw their first road block and Daryl and Jesse saw the road block in time to reroute the trucks. Jesse and Daryl managed to inflict enough damage on the ambushers to ensure that they would be burying their dead and tending to their wounded for the rest of the day. Daryl and Jesse rode behind the trucks for hours but there wasn't any pursuit.

They were deep in mountains now and the driving was slow. They stopped for the night behind a church. They had seen less and less of walkers as they traveled in the mountains. There wasn't much here but trees and mountains and that meant less chance of running into problems. Glenn kept checking the loads to make sure they were secure. The fuel was holding up.

Glenn met with them. "If we leave early tomorrow morning and nothing slows us down I think we can be home tomorrow night."

Everyone was up and ready well before daybreak the next morning and they started while it was still dark. Daryl and Jesse were back in front of the convoy. They drove slowly and carefully. The roads were steep and curvy but empty. They had cleared the road from downed trees on the way in and that made everything so much easier on the way back.

It was late afternoon before they got to the highway that led to Adair. Jesse was driving and Daryl kept seeing dead walkers on the roadside. Not a lot but more than he had ever seen before. They made him nervous. It was almost dark and they were within twenty miles of Adair when they saw the signs of recent construction. There was a large empty field where they had tree covered when they left. They were moving quickly now, trying to get to get home.

They were waved through at the roadblock and the men on duty there shot their rifles in the air in celebration. They must have radioed Adair because there were people on the street waving as the trucks came in.

Emily met them at the gate of the dam project and Glenn got out and gave her a hug. "Honey, we're home."

Emily laughed, "You have some people that will be awfully glad to see you. Park the trucks here in the lot and I will get someone else to drive them to the warehouse tonight."

The trucks were quickly parked and they grabbed all their stuff and hurried to the big suv. Emily gave them all a big hug and Brian McKenzie came along in his truck and shook their hand. "I thank all of you for your service. You have changed our lives for the better. Now go home and see your families", Emily said. She and Brian stood together and waved goodbye. Daryl noticed that she and Brian went toward the dam in his truck as they left.

The trip up the mountain seemed to take longer than usual. Patrick got out at Ashton's since his family had been staying there while he was gone. Daryl, Rick, and Jesse got out at their gate and they unloaded their stuff while the floodlights came on and Carl ran to open the gates.

The three men stood on the other side of the gate and looked at the homestead. It looked exactly like they left it. The people that the loved were coming along the driveway to meet them. They were home.

Carl hugged Rick and grabbed some of his stuff to carry in. Rick could see Andrea carrying Judith toward him. He kissed Judith and then Andrea and he held them close.

Jesse ran toward Michonne and picked her up and whirled her around. She laughed and held on tight. He said, "We are getting married tomorrow. I mean it, tomorrow. Daryl and I have decided to make honest women of you tomorrow."

Daryl had discarded his stuff and met his family. He hugged Carol with his left arm and the two girls with his right arm. He announced to his family, "We are getting married tomorrow, I mean it, tomorrow." The girls squealed with joy and Carol just smiled at him. They gathered all of his bags and everyone went into the house.

There was a birthday cake on the counter and Daryl could see that the dinner table was set. They usually ate earlier than this but they must have waited on them. The men showered, shaved, and dressed in clean clothes. Carol was glad that they had cooked plenty because all the men ate like as if they hadn't eaten since they left.

Dessert was Lizzie's birthday cake. Carol how used thirteen wooden matches instead of candles and Lizzie blew them all out. They ate the cake and Lizzie opened her presents. Carol had given Lizzie the black iron horse that Brian had made for her. Michonne had given her a sword, and Andrea had found earrings that looked perfect on the new teenager. Carl's gift was last; he had managed to sneak out to Kevin Connelly's house and together they had made a keepsake box for Lizzie.

The men were full of their stories and the women let them talk. No one mentioned that they had been attacked by raiders or had spent days in terror that the swarm could not be contained. Lizzie and Mika went upstairs and Carl took Judith up to her crib. Carol and Daryl went to their room and Michonne and Jesse went upstairs. Rick and Andrea stayed downstairs and talked for hours.

Jesse repeated that the marriage was taking place tomorrow. "Would you be all right if we had a double wedding? Daryl and I have planned it all out." Michonne would not miss a chance to marry Jesse and be in a wedding planned by Jesse and Daryl.

"If we are getting married tomorrow shouldn't we spend tonight in different places? You should just run on over to your house and I'll see you at the wedding", Michonne said very seriously.

Jesse smiled, "I will just roll out of bed tomorrow morning and won't look at you".

Michonne just smiled her disarming smile and welcomed her almost husband into her bed.

Carol brushed her teeth and got ready for bed. She was a little nervous and she felt a little silly about that. Daryl was walking around the house making certain that everything locked and closed in for the night. He found the cameras and wondered when they had been installed. Carol needed to tell Daryl about their baby and she wanted to have a romantic reunion. She didn't want to compare war stories about their time away from one another.

Daryl was in bed when she got out of the bathroom. He smiled at her and one part of her said "Just go with the romantic reunion" but another said "Tell him". Carol looked at Daryl and knew wanted to talk to him about the baby. She moved her bedside chair to face Daryl. "I need to tell you something, Daryl".

Daryl looked at his almost wife and thought she looked awfully serious, "What is it? Carol, are you alright? Is something wrong?"

Carol met his eyes and smiled, "Not wrong, something is very right. Daryl, I am pregnant. We're going to have a baby".

Daryl listened to the words but there seemed to be some disconnect with his mind. Carol was saying they were going to have a baby. Carol had not thought that they would be able to have a baby because of her age and her irregular periods. Now she was telling him that she was going to have a baby.

Carol watched his face. He seemed to be in shock and she could sympathize with that feeling. She had felt panic at the thought of a baby. She was too old and this world too dangerous to have a baby. Then once she saw Michael that all faded away and she was happy with the knowledge that life had come up with another happy surprise for her. She wished that she could show Daryl what she had seen, but she couldn't. He would have to wait another seven months to fall in love with their son.

Daryl started gathering his thoughts together. He was starting to realize that he needed to be there for Carol. He wished suddenly that he could tell Merle that he was going to be a father. Merle was gone and he had no kin of his own, but there was this baby, part him and part Carol. There was something growing inside Carol that would bind them together for eternity. He thought about that and he looked at Carol. They had made a whole new person. Their baby. He smiled at Carol and she knew that he was glad that they were having a child.

She slid into bed beside of Daryl and he hugged her close. "You do know that we are getting married tomorrow, Jesse and I have it all planned. Two pregnant brides. Sounds like some hillbilly wedding to me," he teased.

"Can Andrea be our bridesmaid and carry the shotgun too?" Carol asked.

"It will be a beautiful wedding, the only one I will ever have or want to have, " Daryl said.

Daryl kissed Carol and stopped thinking about babies, Merle, eternal connections, and weddings. He just wanted to be here with Carol. She kissed him back and put everything else out of her mind. "Enjoy your last fling as a single woman", Daryl growled in her ear and she gave her full attention to enjoying a romantic reunion.


	33. Warrior Wedding

**I was going to skip writing a wedding for Caryl; but this wedding is much more than a marriage ceremony. I hope you enjoy this ceremony. So please take a seat in the McAllister Mountain Community Church and be a witness to a …**

Warrior's Wedding

Carol woke up to find that Daryl already gone. She got dressed and went into the kitchen. There was a list of instructions in the kitchen for her and Michonne.

Good Morning Almost Wives,

We will be away from you all day. You must stay at the homestead today. The wedding will be at five o'clock at McAllister Mountain Community Church. The church will be cold so dress warmly. You will be wearing a sash of McAllister tartan. This will be a warrior's wedding.

Ashton and Patrick will escort you to the church at 4:45. Everyone else needs to be at the church before then. Please bring your swords to the wedding. We love you.

Carol recognized Jesse's handwriting. She laughed; she didn't need the "sight "to know that this was not going to be like any wedding she had ever seen before. Today was November 11, Veteran's Day. I guess that was as good a day for a warrior's wedding as any could be.

The day was clear but cold. Andrea spent most of the day pampering them with facials, manicures, pedicures, and general maintenance. Andrea anguished over what they would wear especially when she saw the sashes. "Plaid? "She moaned, seemingly in despair over their choices. At 12:00 Ashton brought over their dresses. Carol's was blue and Michonne's was red. They were floor length and very simple and made of wool. Jo had been working on them for some time it seemed. There were also two sets of silk long johns and long sleeved tops.

The girls chattered around all morning and then went back with Ashton. They appeared to have some part in the festivities. Jo loved parties and celebrations and apparently she and Jesse had been collaborating for some time.

After lunch Carol took a nap. Daryl had been tireless last night and she didn't want to fall asleep during the wedding. Michonne hadn't had a nap since she was still pooping yellow but she went upstairs thinking that she could read and fell asleep in minutes.

Rick checked on everything around the farm. The fences were secure though he saw where they had been patched back together. He checked on the horses and the chickens. He made sure that the hot water heater was fired up. He suspected that long warm baths might be in order. He wasn't surprised when he went back in to find the great room empty. He went upstairs to find Andrea and Judith sleeping on Andrea's bed. He wished that he had a right to join her in a nap. He went downstairs and took a nap on the couch.

He took the first shower and dressed. And then bathed Judith. He dried her carefully. He decided to dress her normally but to bring plenty of extra blankets to make sure that she would be warm enough. He took Judith downstairs and left the bathroom for Andrea. Rick was waiting at the dining room table when she came downstairs. Andrea dressed to be warm but she looked beautiful in black wool slacks and a cashmere sweater that matched her eyes. She was wearing the gold bracelet that he had given her. Rick walked to her and kissed her hand. "Where are all the swords in this house? I am going to have to fight off all the competition today."

Andrea looked him over and said, "You look pretty good yourself." Rick had found a dark wool suit in his closet and dress shoes his size. There was a blue dress shirt and a plaid tie. He suspected that the women had been doing some shopping while they were away. He kissed Andrea again and handed Judith to her. "I will go warm up the Michonne Mobile; baby, its cold outside".

Carol and Michonne emerged from their rooms and Andrea arranged their sashes and pinned them in place. They both looked beautiful she thought and told them so. Rick came back in and kissed them "while they were still available" and everyone laughed.

Carol felt oddly at peace. She loved Daryl and whatever was going to happen he knew about. She didn't think a ceremony would make her feel anymore bonded with Daryl. She had committed herself to him in a little log cabin in Georgia. She loved and trusted him then and always would.

Michonne was more nervous. Jesse had quite an imagination and she wasn't sure what a warrior's wedding would be like. She hoped it didn't have anything to do with blood or needles. She would hate like hell to cry or pass out during the ceremony. Michonne told Rick as he left with Andrea and Judith not to be hot rodding the Michonne Mobile around the mountain. He laughed and helped Andrea into a black wool coat that only made her look more beautiful, "I'll try but there is something about a minivan that brings the NASCAR out in me".

Michonne and Carol waited until Ashton and Patrick showed up in a horse drawn wagon and wearing kilts. Carol locked the house. Ashton asked, "Are you coming to this wedding of your own free will to enter into a binding marriage contract?"

Carol saw that this was part of the wedding. "I am a free woman and I make this contract of my own free will."

Michonne smiled her devastating smile, "I am a free woman and I make this contract of my own free will".

Patrick said, "We will escort you to the church and to your husbands". He led them to the wagon and helped them up to the second row of seats.

It was incredibly cold on the open wagon but it was also invigorating. Patrick and Ashton helped them down at the church and the day had turned to twilight during their ride. The lot was filled with all sorts of vehicles and Carol saw that the church was full when they went inside. Brandon began playing and singing an old Commodores song, "Three Times a Lady" and Michonne smiled because Jesse liked to sing that song to her.

They were escorted up to the front of the church by Patrick and Ashton. Daryl and Jesse were waiting for them at the front of the church. Patrick and Ashton walked around them up to area where the pulpit should be but there was a table in front of them with four swords on it.

Carol had met Daryl's eyes and smiled at him when she first saw him but now she saw that he was wearing a kilt, a turtleneck sweater and a black jacket. He smiled at her so broadly that she hoped that he wasn't drunk. He winked and took her hand and she knew that this was going to be a quite a wedding. Merle must be doing somersaults in his grave to think that Daryl was wearing a skirt at his wedding.

Michonne smiled at a kilt wearing Jesse. He had taken her hand and his familiar warmth relieved the last of her nerves. Nothing would be wrong or out of place if sweet Jesse planned it. He was her laddie and now always would be.

Ashton started, "I want to welcome all the guests to this ceremony. This will be a warrior's wedding and all four of these people have proven themselves to be warriors. There will be covenants made here today that will stand through eternity.

We must first ask God to honor these covenants. Please bow your head as we pray, "Dear Father, we ask your blessings on the covenants today. We are ever mindful that you have loved us enough to make a covenant with us that will stand through eternity. In Jesus's name we pray". The crowd said, "Amen" and Carol noticed that the church was lit with candles at the window and on the table in front of her. There was an open flame that looked something like a large Bunsen burner in front of them.

Ashton continued, "Our first covenant is to swear that you are men of women of honor and mean to keep your promises made here in the presence of these witnesses. I will call upon you individually.

"Daryl, are you a man of honor?" Ashton asked.

Daryl voice was sure and strong, "I am"

Ashton asked, "Do you swear obedience to God, allegiance to our clan, and commit yourself to the promises that you make today".

Daryl answered, "I do so swear that I will obey God, give my allegiance to my clan, and commit myself to keeping the promises I make today."

Ashton went through this Carol, Michonne, and Jesse.

Ashton smiled, "Allegiance to our clan has never required the changing of a name but both Daryl and Jesse have asked to show their commitment to the clan by changing their names today.

"Daryl, you have asked to take the name of McAllister and your father and to change your name to Daryl McAllister-Dixon today." Ashton smiled again.

Daryl answered, "My children and I will have the name of McAllister-Dixon from this day forward."

Carol understood now why Michael would be named Michael McAllister-Dixon. She had told Daryl last night that she was going to have a baby but hadn't said anything about the name.

"Jesse, you have asked to take the name of McAllister and your father and to change you name to Jesse McAllister-Dixon today."

Jesse said, "My children and I will have the name of McAllister-Graham from this day forward".

Patrick said, "You have sworn obedience to God and allegiance to the clan, but Jesse and Daryl have asked for a special bonding ceremony. None of you have a living brother or sister. Please form a circle." Carol, Michonne, Jesse, and Daryl formed a circle and held hands.

"Daryl do you promise to love Jesse and Michonne as your brother and sister. Do you promise that you will love and care for their children as an uncle. Will you take up the sword to protect them as you would your wife and children?  
Daryl answered, "I promise that I will love them as my brother and sister, I will love their children as an uncle. I will take up the sword to protect them as I would for my wife and children". Daryl had smiled at Jesse and Michonne but he also made eye contact with Andrea.

Carol was next and she said her promises but she also turned so that she could see Andrea and knew that she made those promises to her too. Andrea smiled through her tears and Carol knew that she understood.

Michonne was next and she gave her promises and smiled at Andrea. Jesse followed and Carol cried when he said sister in his promise. He always had been her brother in her heart and it felt right that he would make this part of their ceremony.

Patrick said, "You have sworn an oath to protect one another. Take up your swords and touch the flame. Warriors must take up the sword to protect those they love."

Daryl picked up the first sword and held it to the flame until it began to turn red and he held it up so that everyone could see. Carol picked up her sword and held it to the flame so that everyone could see, Michonne put her katana into the flame and held it up, and then Jesse did the same. Then, they all put their swords into the flame which Patrick had turned up so that it was much larger and when the metal began to flame a bit they held it up for all to see. Then they put their swords back onto the wooden table.

Ashton said, "I am going to ask the brides and groom to set down now. There is another covenant to be made here today. Elizabeth and Mika come forward. ". Carol had been looking for them but they must have been sitting in the back because they walked all the way up the aisle to stand before Ashton and Patrick. They were wearing identical long dresses and sashes made of McAllister tartan.

"Elizabeth and Mika you must answer of your own free will. Do you understand?" Ashton asked.

Lizzie said, "I understand", and Mika said, "I understand".

"Do you promise to obey God and to swear allegiance to the clan?" Both girls promised, and there were more tears than smiles in the church.

"Carol and Daryl please stand by your children." Carol and Daryl stood on either side of Lizzie and Mika. "Carol and Daryl, do you swear to love and protect these children through eternity? Take up your warrior swords and make a solemn vow before these witnesses."

Daryl picked up his sword and put it into the dancing flame. He raised it high enough so that everyone in the church could see it, "I promise to love and protect Elizabeth and Mika through eternity. They will be my children and take my name. I will use the sword to protect all my children".

Carol picked up her sword, "I promise to love and protect Elizabeth and Mika through eternity. They will be my children and I will share their name. I will use the sword to protect all my children." She put her sword in the flames and held it up high. Then she put hers back into the flame when Daryl put his in and they held them there until they glowed. They held them up so that everyone could see. They put the swords back down and hugged and kissed the girls who took a seat on the front bench. Everyone sat down.

Ashton said, "Now we are ready for a wedding". The crowd cheered. He went on, "Let's get the brides and grooms up here."

"The grooms are going to entertain us be reciting a poem to their brides, Jesse will be first, "Ashton sat down.

Jesse turned to Michonne and recited "_Oh, Call It by Some Better Name_" by Thomas Moore.

Oh, call it by some better name,

For Friendship sounds too cold,

While Love is now a worldly flame,

Whose shrine must be of gold:

And Passion, like the sun at noon,

That burns o'er all he sees,

Awhile as warm will set as soon-

Then call it none of these.

Imagine something purer far,

More free from stain of clay

Than Friendship, Love, or Passion are,

Yet human, still as they:

And if thy lip, for love like this,

No mortal word can frame,

Go, ask of angels what it is,

And call it by that name!

Jessie said, "I kept looking for some poem that could say how I feel about Michonne and finally chose this one because I don't have a word to express how much she means to me. Jesse kissed Michonne and stepped back beside her.

Daryl took a deep breath and recited, "_The Pasture_" by Robert Frost.

I'M going out to clean the pasture spring;

I'll only stop to rake the leaves away

(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):

I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too.

I'm going out to fetch the little calf

That's standing by the mother. It's so young,

It totters when she licks it with her tongue.

I sha'n't be gone long.—You come too.

Daryl said, "I told Jesse that I didn't know any poetry and he gave me a book of poems by Robert Frost. I picked this one because the man in the poem wants to share everything with his wife. That is what I want too." He kissed Carol and moved back beside her.

Ashton said, "Wedding vows are promises to be kept. Please repeat these vows after me and to each other. First I will read the vows for the grooms and after that the vows for the brides."

Carol and Daryl turned to each other and Michonne and Jesse turned to each other. Ashton began the vows and they each repeated them in turn.

_I Daryl now take you Carol to be my wife. In the presence of God and before these witnesses, I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal husband to you, for as long as we both shall live. _Daryl put the ring on Carol's finger when he finished.

__I _Jesse now take you Michonne to be my wife. In the presence of God and before these witnesses, I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal husband to you, for as long as we both shall live_. He put the ring on her finger after he finished.

_I, Carol now take you Daryl to be my husband. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal wife to you, for as long as we both shall live. _Carol put a wedding ring on Daryl's finger_._

_I, Michonne now take you Jesse to be my husband. In the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful and loyal wife to you, for as long as we both shall live. _Michonne put a weddng ring on Jesse's hand.

Ashton said, "By the power invested in me by the state of North Carolina I declare you man and wife." Take up your swords. They each picked up their swords put them in the flame them up. "Now show your willingness to take up the sword to protect your beloved by holding up your sword". They each held their sword up and then brought the back down on the table. The couples kissed and the clan chiefs from the other clans and members of the McAllister Clan formed a line and held their swords up high to show that they would take up swords to protect them too. Carol and Daryl walked out first and she could see the light from the candles reflected off the steel of the swords as she walked through them. Jesse and Michonne were next and Jesse knew that this might be the happiest day of his life.

The wedding reception was held at Ashton and Jo's house. There was roast venison because Daryl and Jesse had gone out early and brought down big buck. They each claimed credit so no one was sure who had actually killed it. There was plenty of food and drink to go around.

Rick danced with Andrea, "What did you think of the wedding?" She smiled at him, "It was wonderful. That part with the swords was touching".

Carol enjoyed the reception. She and Daryl danced and she was a little surprised because she didn't know Daryl could even dance, "Michonne taught me at the prison", Daryl said. Carol asked the all important question. "Now what are you wearing under the kilt, my good husband".

Daryl laughed, "Just boxers and it was cold in the church that "Little Daryl" became almost nonexistent Daryl. Little Daryl has recovered and is now back to his former size, thank God."

Carol kissed him, "Good to know. I can't believe you said all those things in public."

Daryl said, "I am only getting married one time, it is not like I have to do that again."

Lizzie and Mika sat with Carol and Daryl. Ashton brought their swords to them. Carol took hers and looked at the one Daryl used. Ashton said, "It was your father's sword and Grandma kept it in the attic." Carol thought that it befitting that Daryl use it for ceremonial occasions but it would belong to their son. Michael McAllister's sword should belong to his only grandson, Michael McAllister-Dixon.

The party went on for quite a while. Carol was hugged and kissed by every clan chief in Adair and all her kin. Emily was there with Brian who gave her a sweet hug and even hugged Daryl. Jesse and Daryl drank toasts to their brides and got a little drunk. Rick and Andrea went home early because Judith got cranky and Carl stayed at the party. Carol was pretty sure that Rick and Andrea were going home to be together and she wished them well. She was having a grand time herself and sat with Tyreese for a while. "My sister, you are a beautiful bride."

Carol felt the tears fall, "My brother, I can never thank you enough for forgiving me."

She noticed that Tyreese was sitting with a woman who had been one of his nurses at the hospital. Carol hoped that woman recognized what a fine man Tyreese was and snapped him up quick. She would like to dance at that wedding.

Carol caught up with Lizzie and Carl in a corner of the room. Carl may have gotten into the spiked punch by the looks of things because his arm was around Lizzie and it looked like she was too late for their first kiss. She scooted them back to the crowd and located Mika with some kids playing games in the next room.

They left the party late and walked back in the cold moonlight. Jesse and Michonne were staying back at his house tonight and they went on. Carl threw up the punch and Daryl stayed outside with him while Carol brought the girls in. They hugged and kissed her goodnight and went upstairs. Carol went in and got ready for bed. Daryl came in later. Carl was better and asleep upstairs. Daryl took off his kilt and hung it in the closet. He laughed and said Little Daryl was being shy again from the cold.

Little Daryl soon got over his shyness and afterward Daryl asked Carol if she had enjoyed the wedding, "Of course, I did. You and Jesse did a great job. It was a wonderful evening but the best part is being here with you right now. I love you, Daryl, but why did you change your name?"

"You said at the prison that Carol McAllister was your true name. You were happy as a little girl with that name and you have been happy here with that name. I just wanted you to keep that name when you took mine. I love you too and I think I will be happier as Daryl McAllister-Dixon than I was for most of my life as a Dixon."

Daryl pulled out a stone that he had picked up on his journey. "I love you enough to wear a skirt to marry you. I have missed Merle all day. He would give me holy hell over all this but some part of me would like to think that he would be happy for me too".

Carol took the stone, "I was afraid to get married again. I know that you aren't like Ed, but marriage to me meant life in prison with no chance of parole. I have been thinking about grandma today. I miss her so much and I missed so much not being with her. My promise to you is that I am not going to squander any chances for happiness with you. I am going to grab all the joy out of life that I can fine. I loved you in the kilt. It was very sexy. Do you think you could put it on right now?  
Daryl said, "The things I do for love".

**I know that was a long chapter but I just decided not to leave anything or anyone out. **


	34. Remnant

**Merle Dixon was one of my favorite characters for TWD but I have never had the nerve to write him in my stories. He was so Merle and so much a mix of good and bad that I just never could capture him. Merle is never really gone but he touched so many of the characters that made it out of the prison and on to McAllister Mountain that his memory lingers on. There will always be that remnant in this story.**

Remnant

Carol had woken up to find a sleeping Daryl's left arm wrapped around her. There was just enough light in their bedroom for her to see his wedding ring. It matched the new ring on her left hand and she put the two hands close together so that she enjoy seeing a material manifestation of their marriage. That wedding ceremony was 90% Jesse and probably Ashton, and about 10% Daryl.

Carol had seen that the wedding had its political elements; the clans were there to witness all the wedding of a clan chief. They were also there to recognize that the McAllisters swore obedience to God, allegiance to the clan, and would also fight to protect those under their care. The walk under the swords was dramatic and moving. The other clan chief were showing that they would never strike an unarmed McAllister and that they could pass safely under their open weapons. She recognized that she and Patrick would be holding their swords at weddings and ceremonial occasions.

The part that was Daryl was taking the McAllister name as part of his and so now she could keep her true name and add his to hers. Daryl had also made certain that Lizzie and Mika understood that they were part of the family, the clan, and would always have a place here. Carol knew that Daryl never left anyone out or behind. She moved to kiss his ringed hand and said, "I love you, husband".

"Good to know since I am chained to you for eternity, and you are to me because you swore on it in public, "Daryl growled in her ear. Carol turned and smiled at him. "I love you, wife."

Carol said, "I did appreciate that "obey" wasn't in the vows."

Daryl laughed, "Jesse found that in some old book about Scotland and obey wasn't in it a thousand years ago. He also said that with asking for obedience from Michonne in a room filled with swords sounded like a really bad idea. I thought promising to be loving, faithful, and loyal was good enough for me".

Carol agreed, "What would Merle have said about you wearing a kilt?"

Daryl smiled but he had been thinking about Merle off and on for days. There was a trace of sadness in his voice, "I have been thinking about that, at first I thought he would have called me "Derlinda" and given me holy hell. Then, yesterday when I put the kilt on and stood there with Jesse in the church I realized that he would have told me that I had finally found my balls. Hell, Merle would have worn the kilt in the hope that some poor fool would have said something and he could beat the shit out of him. Merle would have told me that I had hair on my ass to get married in a skirt and then he would have said that those Scots do what they were doing. "You want some pussy, just pull the damn skirt up and go at it.".

Carol had to laugh because that sounded like something Merle would have said. "So you think that Merle would have worn the kilt at his wedding".

Daryl said, "Hell, yes. Merle would have strutted up there without a pair of boxers too. Every woman in the place would have got a glimpse of his package and every man in the place would have been pissed off at him before it was over."

Carol's voice was gentler than before, "I wish he could have been there to see you get married and he would have had worn a kilt and bared his legs and most everything else. He would have got drunk at the wedding, had sex with some woman, and gotten into a fight with some man. He would have had a hell of a good time at our wedding".

Daryl was quiet for a bit and Carol thought he was probably thinking about Merle. "We would have had to make everyone check in their swords when they got to the reception if Merle was there. Merle being Merle would never have made it out of the reception without someone clipping him otherwise."

Carol smiled at Daryl and kissed him in such a way that he stopped thinking about Merle and started thinking about his husbandly duties toward his wife. Afterward, Carol told him that she and Michonne had appointments with their obstetrician today. Their previous appointment had been cancelled by an emergency and scheduled for today. Daryl said that he wanted to go with her and meet the doctor, "If he gets to look at all your woman parts, I want him to be too scared to enjoy it".

Carol knew Daryl well enough to know that was Daryl's way of saying that he wanted to be part of everything. "The appointment is at 1:00 so we should leave around 12:30. There will be paperwork to fill out even now."

They were separated most of the morning with chores but Daryl came back in time to eat lunch, take a shower, and be ready to go at 12:30. There were riding with Michonne and Jesse and Carol noticed that Daryl was gnawing at his cuticles again, a sure sign that he was nervous.

The doctor's waiting room was cold and they kept their coats on. Michonne and Jesse went first. Dr. Melody Neal-Hakim welcomed them to her personal office and asked some questions. She took some blood samples of both Michonne and Jesse. Michonne tensed when it came to having her blood taken but Jesse held her hand the whole time. Jesse waited in her office while she examined Michonne in another room which was heated by a kerosene heater. Michonne explained her problems with a past delivery and Dr. Hakim promised that she would perform the caesarian with or without the electricity being turned back on. They could use generators if needed. Dr. Hakim went through everything with both parents. She was in no hurry; this was medicine in the New World. No insurance company decided what you needed, but you didn't always have what you needed. Jesse said, "You tell me in advance what you might need and I'll scavenge every hospital in three states to get it". Melody Hakim looked into those soulful blue eyes and knew that he would make good on that promise.

It was Carol and Daryl's turn next, Michonne and Jesse had come out smiling and that was reassuring. Jesse wanted to go check on the dam and promised that they would be back soon.

Carol and Daryl were brought back to Dr. Hakim's office and Carol thought that there was a shadow that went across the doctor's face as she looked at the paperwork. There were routine questions and the doctor seemed relaxed and confident. The doctor took blood samples from both of them. Carol thought that Dr. Hakim seemed more interested in Daryl than in her, and she had asked questions about both their brothers and sisters when she was examining Carol. Carol had told her that she didn't have any siblings and Daryl had just had an older brother that had been killed about a year ago.

Dr. Hakim sent her back to her office and sent a note to her husband, Dr. David Hakim. He wasn't scheduled for surgery this afternoon. Her note was simple but she knew he would be on his way as soon as he could.

Dr. Hakim told Carol and Daryl that she wanted Carol to take vitamins and to make certain that she ate well, got plenty of rest, and took it easy. She didn't see anything in her exam that would indicate that Carol would have problems delivering the baby. Carol was just past two months pregnant and they should be able to do a sonogram on her next visit. Melody Hakim wasn't surprised when her husband David knocked on the door. She brought him in and introduced him to Carol and Daryl. David Hakim smiled at Carol and said that he had already met her when she had visited Tyreese. He looked at Daryl and turned and nodded to his wife.

Daryl was getting nervous. If everything was alright then why was there another doctor in the room? Carol was more curious than nervous. David Hakim seemed more interested in Daryl than in her.

Dr. Melody Hakim said, "There is no easy way to say this. Seventeen years ago right after I finished college I went on a beach vacation with some girlfriends. I met a guy, had a fling, and started medical school in August. I met David when I started medical school and soon found out I was pregnant by the man I met at the beach. David had stood by me ever since. He went to every birthing class with me, every doctor's appointment, and he helped to deliver Caleb. We were married by then and David is on the birth certificate as Caleb's father. We have told Caleb from the time he was six years old that David is not his birth father. We started then trying to contact his birth father and found him in jail for drug possession. We were waiting until he finished drug rehab to contact him and then he disappeared. Two years ago when Caleb was fourteen we found him again and had made plans to contact him that summer so that he could meet Caleb if he wanted to. Then all of this happened and we have been too busy trying to stay alive and to practice medicine to think about anything else. Caleb's father was Merle Dixon."

At first, Carol had thought that Daryl was the father and then she figured that it was Merle from the jail time and drug problems. She looked at Melody Hakim. She was tall with red hair and blue eyes. David Hakim was tall with black hair and dark brown eyes.

Melody showed them some photographs of Caleb. He looked like Merle, handsome with blond hair and blue eyes. He looked happy in every photograph as if smiling came easy to him. Daryl saw something of his brother in every photograph and that made him feel as if there was some remnant of Merle still here.

Melody and David Hakim were holding hands when David began, "We tried to tell Merle right after we knew that Melody was pregnant. I went with her and he was high when we got to his apartment. He offered Melody money for an abortion and we left without the money and decided that we could rear this child together. We were busy with school and internships and taking care of Caleb. Merle missed his chance to know Caleb and I am sorry for that. We want to share Caleb with both of you. Your new baby will be his cousin. Sometimes, Caleb can be a handful but he has always been my beloved son. We will tell him that he has more family if you want him in your life."

Carol could feel Daryl's excitement, "I want to meet him. He looks like Merle and if he is anything like my brother he will be more than a handful to raise." Carol just smiled her agreement at both Melody and David.

David said, "Caleb loves to hunt and fish. He has always loved the outdoors. Let us tell him, and if he wants to meet you and I think he will. We will send him up to you. You can take him hunting and have a chance to talk."

Daryl nodded, "Maybe he can come up and have dinner with us, stay the night, and I'll take him hunting the next morning. I can bring him back to you after we go hunting."

Melody looked at Carol, "You look so much like your grandmother and Emily. Your grandmother recruited us to come up here five years ago. She showed up in Charlotte, arranged to meet us, and then convinced us that we needed to move up here. Best thing that ever happened to us. We loved it here before this thing hit and we have been able to stay alive and keep working as doctors. Caleb had been taking martial arts classes since he was six and he adapted to this new world faster than we did."

They shared the news about Caleb with Jesse and Michonne, but asked that they not say anything until they heard from Caleb. Michonne thought about Merle; he was in so many ways a piece of shit but he had set her out on that pavement because he wanted her to live. He had brought down enough of the Governor's troops to make it possible for all of them to live to fight and lose another day. In a way, she owed her present happiness to Merle's mercurial nature.

Daryl was glad that part of Merle was still here and hoped that they could be some sort of kin to each other. Caleb being a "handful" was no surprise to Daryl. Merle was more than a handful but he had loved him anyway. Daryl figured that a boy who liked to hunt and fish would be easy to get along with and maybe getting to know Caleb would make missing Merle a little easier.


	35. Caleb

**Caleb**

The next week passed relatively uneventfully which everyone took as a good sign. After Daryl and Rick found out that the house had been attacked in their absence they began installing more cameras and alarms on all entrances to the barn. Jesse mourned his barn but said that he wasn't going to build another one until spring. He did make runs to find enough grain and hay for his horses which were now ensconced in the homestead barn. Michonne had moved back to Jesse's place and Sasha moved in with Josh. There was a garage apartment at his parent's place and they moved in there. Tyreese was still recuperating from his wound and he had moved into Brian's house to give the honeymooners some privacy.

Daryl was hopeful that he would hear from Caleb and Emily came home with a note from Caleb's parents giving the news that Caleb would be happy to stay at their place and go hunting with Daryl at the end of the week. Carol planned her menu with Andrea and they planned the family dinner and then a sort of party where Caleb could meet everyone in their group.

Caleb was due to arrive around 3:00 which would give them time to socialize before dinner and the rest of the party started. Carol thought Daryl needed to calm his ass down because he making her nervous walking around the house waiting on the boy. Daryl had been looking at the mantle clock every five minutes since 2:00 and it wasn't quite 3:00 when they heard the unmistakable sound of a Harley Davidson coming up the road. Daryl went out to open the gate and meet Caleb. Carol watched from the window and saw Daryl greet a young man who was at least six inches taller than him. They talked for a few minutes and Daryl admired the bike and then the boy rode it in and parked it in the barn to the consternation of the horses and cow within.

Daryl liked Caleb right off. He thanked Daryl for inviting him and said that he wanted to know all about his birth father and wanted to meet all the family. He told Daryl that he had found the bike on the highway after this all went down and dragged it home and worked on it. He liked fixing things.

Daryl introduced Caleb to Carol and Andrea first. He rocked back on his heels and looked intently at Carol. "I think I will just call you Sweet Carol Anne if that is all right" and sang two lines from the song "Sweet Caroline". Carol decided that was way better than Mouse and she smiled at Caleb. He was a charmer alright.

Caleb looked at Andrea, "Well, hello Blondie. If you ever want to ditch this serious looking man beside of you, just give me a call."

Andrea laughed, "You are a little young for me. Don't you think?"

Caleb shook his head, "A closed mind is a terrible thing."

Caleb shook Rick's hand and said, "I am Caleb and you are the lucky man with Blondie. I 'll call you Lucky".

Caleb named Lizzie "Sunshine" and Mika "Angel". He picked Judith up in mid squall and he hoisted her over his head and named her "Babykins". Judith stopped crying and began to beam at Caleb. He had that effect on all of them.

Jesse became "Sinatra" because of his blue eyes and Michonne became "Candace" because that was an African name for queen. Michonne thought that was eerily close to "My Nubian Queen" which was what Merle had called her.

Carl was the last one to be named and Caleb seemed to take the most time naming him. Caleb smiled at Carl and said, "Lil Bruther" and hugged him. Carol saw the look in Daryl's eyes and knew that he heard Merle calling him that a thousand times. She squeezed his hand and he held on.

Caleb continued to entertain the crowd. He loved the horses and wanted to take a ride before he left. He admired the greenhouse and the low tunnels that were still providing food for the family. He gathered eggs with the girls and "Lucky" showed him the log cabin they were building.

Dinner was fun. Caleb sat between Carol and Daryl and he seemed to enjoy the crowded table. He told Carol that it reminded him of visiting his father's family. The Hakim's had immigrated to the United States from Iran in the 1970's because his grandfather wanted to escape the growing anti-Semitism there. David Hakim had four brothers and three sisters. Most of them were doctors or in some field of medical research. They had lived all over the United States but they had not heard from any of them since. His mother had only one brother and he had lived in California. Her parents had lived in Florida.

He talked with Daryl about hunting and he seemed genuinely enthusiastic about getting up early and hunting deer. He had hunted with friends the last few years because his father wasn't a hunter. Caleb asked Daryl, "What do I call you?" He had been quick to give everyone a name but Daryl.

Daryl said, "Whatever you want to call me. Most of the younger ones call me Uncle Daryl. They all call Carol their aunt even though they are all cousins."

Caleb stated, "Uncle Daryl then. Do you look like my birth father?"

Daryl said, "Merle was bigger than me but we looked alike a little. I think you look more like him than I do".

It wasn't long after dinner when the company showed up. Beth and Brandon showed up holding hands and Brandon knew Caleb because they hunted together. Maggie and Glenn walked over and Glenn knew Caleb from the dam. Brian and Emily showed up with Arya and it turned out that Caleb knew them from the dam as well. Caleb socialized with everyone. The final ones to arrive were Ashton, Jo, Jonathan, and Ariel.

Ashton had been the principal of Adair High School and Caleb had been a freshman at the school in the year before the ZA hit. Caleb had spent more time in detention and the Alternative Learning Center than his classes. He and Ashton McAllister had spent a lot of time together discussing Caleb's behavior and better choices Caleb could have made when he engaged in behaviors that brought him into the principal's office.

Carol had watched Caleb charm people all night. He shook hands with Ashton and it was obvious that they were genuinely fond of each other. The only person Caleb didn't charm was Ariel, Ashton's seventeen year old daughter. Ariel was a serious girl. She had finished all her high school curriculum at home since school was over. She was an excellent marksman and worked out on exercise equipment almost every day. She had worked with Michonne with swords and with Carol with knives. Caleb had said hello and moved on when they met.

Carol noticed that Caleb kept an eye on Ariel all night. She guessed that he liked her and in that odd Dixon way he was shy about expressing himself when it came to matters of the heart. Ariel was talking with Michonne about something and she had shed her seriousness and was laughing at something Michonne had said. Carol had been walking around making sure that everyone was having a good time and she moved to Michonne and asked, "What is so funny?  
Michonne laughed, "I was telling Ariel how much fun we had last summer canning for three weeks."

Carol said, "I never did figure what made those tomatoes blow up".

Michonne giggled, "There we were, staring at the lone jar of tomatoes that had just splattered all over the kitchen and us. We laughed so hard that my sides hurt. Right in the middle of our hysterical giggling Daryl comes in to get some water to drink. He walks around us; he looks at the bits of tomatoes all over the place, and never says a word to us. We finally calm down, clean up the place, and go outside. Daryl has fired up an old charcoal grill and is grilling vegetables and some sort of animal that I am truly glad that was never identified but actually tasted pretty good."

"And that is why I love Daryl Dixon; he knows when not to say anything, " Carol laughed. They had eaten dinner outside on the porch and Daryl had made Southern Kick Iced Tea late that evening. It was some lethal combination of Southern Comfort, whiskey, and iced tea. Daryl and Rick had did the dishes that evening while Carol, Michonne, and Andrea had enjoyed a nice evening on the porch getting pretty hammered if Carol remembered right and she wasn't sure she did. The events were a little fuzzy in her mind. Jesse had taken the Carl, Mika, and Lizzie for a long horse ride. She, Michonne, and Andrea stayed up late talking about all sorts of things. She did remember going in to her bedroom that night and waking up Daryl when she fell over the chair by her bed. She crawled over the chair to the bed and Daryl had taken off her clothes and got her a night shirt to sleep in.

Carol remembered telling Daryl that she loved him, but she really hated canning tomatoes. He had kissed her goodnight and she had kissed him back to let him know that she wanted him. "You still have bits of tomato in your hair, you know" Daryl had laughed.

"Don't play hard to get, Daryl, I don't want to think about tomatoes right now," Carol remembered saying.

"I hate to take advantage of a drunk woman, but I will," Daryl had pulled off the nightshirt he had wrestled on her. The next morning she got up and canned tomatoes all day with Andrea and Michonne.

Caleb wandered over and Carol scooted over so that the only open seat was beside of Ariel. Caleb looked a little desperate but finally asked Ariel if she still wanted to be a doctor.

Ariel looked a little desperate herself and told Caleb that she didn't see how that was going to happen now.

Caleb looked at Ariel; he had been crushing on her since he was fourteen. He had finally managed to be close enough to her to touch and talk to her. It was time to say something real to her, "I always thought I would finish high school, go to college, then medical school, and then I would do an internship. That was my path to be a doctor. That is gone, but I work at the hospital everyday learning things. I study at home. I shadow all the doctors that will let me. I watch my father perform surgery. I am finding a way to be a doctor eventually."

Ariel listened to Caleb ; he hadn't given up. He wasn't sitting home moping because the world turned to shit. His reputation in high school was that he was a fourteen year old stud that bedded Senior girls. He was always getting into fights and was usually in ALC. He was a bad boy in school and she was the quintessential good girl whose daddy was the school principal. She had thought that Caleb Hakim was an asshole in school, but maybe no one should be judged by the stupid things they did when they were fourteen. "Do you think that I could work at the hospital too?"

Caleb felt a rush of happiness at the prospect of working with Ariel. "Yes, I can talk to my parents about giving you a job. Now, I empty bed pans and clean shit up all day. I study in the evenings. So, don't think it is just walking around with some clipboard and observing sick people."

Ariel smiled at him which only made Caleb adore her more. She and Sweet Carol had that dazzling smile that lit their faces up and made you want to smile back Caleb thought, "I am willing to empty bed pans and clean mountains of shit up; I just want a chance to be a doctor."

Ashton watched that smile flash at his former problem child and sighed. Caleb's old crush on Ariel was still in place. Ashton turned to Daryl and said, "That nephew of yours may have set the school record for fights. Here is the truth that he and I both knew. He never started any of them. The boy can't abide a bully and his fights were usually about a big boy pushing a little one around. Caleb would take it up and the older boys weren't going to let a freshman boy push them back. Caleb knew how to fight and he would give them a few punches and it was all over."

"Caleb was big and good looking. The older girls hit on him and that pissed the boys off too. They would start some shit with Caleb and he would clean their clock. He is brilliant and I can tell that he has grown up a lot. I sure hope so by the way he is looking at my baby girl."

Daryl looked at his brother's son; in some ways Caleb was as different from Merle as day from night but there were remnants of Merle in him.

Daryl dragged the both Carl and Caleb out of bed the next morning. Caleb hadn't wanted to leave his "Lil Bruther" behind. The morning was cold and clear and they spent all morning hunting only to find a deer within a half mile of the place. They all had a good shot at the buck but Caleb let Carl take the shot. Caleb field dressed the deer easily and they packed it back. Daryl had enjoyed the hunt and being with Caleb in the woods. The boy was a natural hunter and Daryl hoped that they would hunt together again.

Caleb and Ariel took a long horseback ride together. They walked the horses back so that they could talk. "What was the wedding like?" Caleb had heard stories but he couldn't imagine his uncle wearing a kilt.

Ariel thought a minute, "Primitive in a way. It felt like time had turned back and it was five hundred years ago in some Celtic castle. The place was lit by candles and there was some sort of open flame. They carried swords and their clothes weren't modern. Ritualistic and ceremonial. But also incredibly powerful and moving. Daryl and Jesse looked like knights happy to marry their warrior queens. Carol and Michonne looked beautiful but not in a blushing bride kind of way. They looked regal, formidable, and a little daunting when they swore to protect one another. There were ghosts there that night I think. The people that those four people had lost were there to wish them well. Don't think I'll ever see that again, but I am glad that I didn't miss it."

Caleb thought that she was kidding about the ghosts, but she looked serious. He thought that Ariel was too scientific to believe in ghosts, but living up here where her family had lived for so long might make you think there were ghosts. He tried to walk a little slower but it seemed as if they were back way too soon.

Caleb packed his bag to go back down the mountain and was ready to go. Carol said, "We would love it if you and your parents came here for Thanksgiving. It's our first one together up here and we like a full table up here.

Caleb smiled at his Sweet Carol, "I'll ask Mom and Dad. It all depends on who wants to have a baby or needs surgery. I would love to come. I'll let you know." He kissed her cheek, hugged Daryl, rumpled Carl hair, and got on his too loud motorcycle and was off.


	36. A Full House

**There will be some time jumps here and there for a while. This chapter will be a Thanksgiving chapter and then we'll probably jump toward Christmas in the next. Carol has established certain family traditions that she wants in her home. She likes as she said in the last chapter "a full table". **

A Full Table

Carol gave a last survey of the dining room table in the great room. It was ready for Thanksgiving. Her grandmother's china and silverware was gleaming. The men had taken the couches into the barn for the afternoon and long folding tables were set up. The day outside was dark and dreary but it was bright and warm inside. The people that she loved were in this room and for a little while they would concentrate on overeating and being together.

Tyreese gave the blessing on the food and the crowd began to move around the buffet table. Carol circulated making certain that everyone had plenty to eat and was having a good time. The food was a mutual project. Every family brought food and shared with everyone else.

Carol finally sat down between Daryl and Caleb and across from her was Melody and David Hakim. This was their first visit to the homestead and Carol wanted to make them feel at home. The food was good and everyone ate too much. After dinner the clean- up crews took up the tables and put back the couches.. The kitchen crew did the dishes. Then, everyone grabbed a chair while Brandon played the piano and he and Beth sang. Beth led the others in singing some holiday standards. It was a happy crowd that gathered their pots and pans and said goodbye to Carol and Daryl at the door.

Melody and David were among the last to leave. She hugged Carol and thanked for inviting her family to Thanksgiving. Carol said, "You are invited for next year, so don't forget".

"I will want to come up and check on you and Michonne and your babies next year," Melody said. Melody turned to go and saw that Caleb had slipped back to talk with Ariel.

David walked over to Caleb ,"We have to go, Caleb. It's getting late and that mist looks like it wants to turn to snow". David walked back to Melody and they went to their jeep. Caleb and Ariel followed them out. They were dropping her off at her gate and going on home.

The house seemed quiet for a while even though it was full. Jesse and Michonne were staying over tonight. Jesse, Daryl, and Rick were going on a "Black Friday Run" tomorrow. They were refusing to let the women go because they wanted to "shop" without them.

…..

Carol was tired and went to bed early. Lizzie and Mika came in to lie beside her and talk about the day. Their memories of Thanksgiving with their family were a little vague. Lizzie said that they had usually gone to the cabin for Thanksgiving weekend and Carol knew by the shadow across Lizzie's face that was remembering her mother's death. Carol thought about Sophia and understood the shadow. Thanksgiving was not a happy time in the Peletier household. Carol hugged Lizzie and Mika closer and said, "Tomorrow we will go up to the attic and look for Christmas decorations. That distracted the girls and they chatted about putting up a tree.

"That has to wait for a few weeks, but we can hang the wreath and some decorations. We can look to see what is there and get it organized. We may need to share with Jesse and Michonne too," Carol said.

Daryl came in and stood at the foot of the bed and crossed his arms, "Get the hell out and get upstairs".

The girls rolled with laughter, Daryl starting laughing too. He had become more comfortable with Lizzie and Mika since he had returned from his long run. Daryl had been surprised at home much he missed them while he was gone. He sat down in a chair by the bed, "What are you three plotting in here?"

Mika started, "Papa, we are going in the attic tomorrow and look through Christmas decorations".

Lizzie yawned and said, "Okay, we will get the hell out and go upstairs".

Carol gave her a reproving look, the battle to clean up Lizzie's language was ongoing. They hugged and kissed Carol and Daryl good night and then got the hell out.

Daryl went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. He came out in his boxers and carrying a red pebble. He sat down on the chair beside of Carol still holding the stone, but Carol took it from him, "Thank you for being so good natured about Thanksgiving. It is a lot of bother to move all that furniture around. This was the happiest Thanksgiving in my life. I had you, the baby, and the people that I love with me today. I loved Thanksgiving here when I was a little girl, but this was even better. I can enjoy it more because I had miserable Thanksgivings that I just spent praying that Ed didn't get drunk. I am thankful that I have you." She handed the pebble back to Daryl.

"Well, you should be grateful for having a prize like me," Daryl growled. "I want to talk about how I feel about Caleb. He's turned out good, hasn't he?" Carol nodded not sure where Daryl was going with this.

Daryl continued, "I haven't talked to you a whole lot about our baby. I was in shock for bit when you told me. Sure, I was happy and I was scared that something will go wrong with having the baby. But, what I was afraid of and didn't know how to tell you was that I was afraid of the baby". Carol just listened.

"My father would make up reasons to hurt me. He battered me in the body and in the heart. He would tell me that nobody would ever want a loser like me. He would criticize everything I did until I got so wound up that I would explode and then he would punish me for exploding. He used a whip on by back because I broke my arm playing with some kids and one of the parents took me to the hospital. He was mad about that and whipped me until I passed out. Maybe he whipped me after that. My mother was better but she was too afraid of him to do anything about what he did to me. She just wanted to drink wine and read. That was her way to escape." Daryl paused for a minute because he knew that he could tell horror stories all day and not say what he wanted to say.

"I am just bringing that shit up to tell you why I was afraid of our baby. First, I was afraid that I would hurt the baby because I am my father's son. I have always been afraid of being like him. You know that part and you might not like this next part. I was afraid that our baby might be like dear ole Mom and Dad." Carol tried to digest this new idea. Daryl was afraid that his child might be like his parents.

"Then, I met Caleb. He's Merle's son. Merle was a mean son of a bitch and Caleb is tough as nails but he isn't mean like my father or his father. He isn't weak like my mother. He is a good person. Caleb talked to me when we went hunting about what happened when the shit hit the fan up here. He was at home watching the news. Caleb had watched a boatload of zombie movies and he knew what to do. He was in martial arts classes and he had swords and weapons. He grabbed them and went to the hospital. David was just finishing surgery and they went to find Melody. One of her patients needed to have a caesarian and the nurses had gone home. David helped Melody do surgery and Caleb and the baby's father stood outside the operating room and killed walkers. After the surgery they loaded everybody up and went home. They brought the new mother, the baby's father, and the baby with them. They had to dodge walkers in the road and fight their way into the house. David and Melody put boards over the bottom floor windows while Caleb and the baby's father knocked back walkers."

Daryl went on, "Druggies would come to their house thinking there might be drugs there and they would have to fight them off. Melody would deliver babies at their home or they would all load up and go to some strange house to deliver a baby. It was months before any kind of order was restored."

Daryl said, "I realized that Caleb is the way he is because David and Melody are good people. They raised him right. You and I can raise a child right, hell, we are doing fine with Lizzie and Mika. Do you understand what I am trying to say?  
Carol smiled, "I was never afraid that our baby would be some sort of demon seed, but I know what you mean. David Hakim was disowned by some of his family when he married a gentile woman pregnant with another man's baby. He had to take huge loans to get through medical school. Melody said that he never once complained about what he had lost out on in marrying her. Gradually, his family began to accept them but he always put Melody and Caleb first."

She paused for a minute and rubbed the rock gently. "The day you found me in that steel building I was at rock bottom. You chose me and the girls over everyone else. You have accepted me and all that I have done and showed me over and over again that I am somebody that you love and want. You know how to love me, Lizzie and Mika, and you will love our baby the same way. Your father was wrong about you, and he told you a lie when he said that nobody will ever want you. I want you and I ain't nobody. Lizzie and Mika love you and they ain't nobody. Our baby will love you. There isn't anyone in this house that doesn't love you. But no one not even our baby will ever love you as much as I do".

Daryl took the stone back, "It started to snow a little while ago. It's laying on already. Let's go get the girls up and go out and make snow angels. I never got to do shit like that when I was little and it never snowed all that much. We can heat up some apple cider and drink something warm when we get finished."

Carol laughed and got dressed. They got every dressed and turned on the floodlights so that they could see. The snowflakes were huge and the girls and Carl ran around trying to catch them with their tongue. Judith kept trying to catch them. Jesse brought out his digital camera and snapped pictures. Rick and Andrea put snow down each other's back. Jesse and Michonne made a little snowman holding a stick like a sword. Daryl held Carol's hand and laughed at all the snowy antics. Jesse arranged his camera and put it in the barn loft to get a special shot. They were all lying in a circle with their hands outstretched but still touching and made a huge circle of snow angels. The snow just kept coming and they eventually went inside and had the apple cider with some added spices and left over pumpkin pie.

Carol was almost asleep when she said to Daryl, "That was so much fun and I love you".

Daryl said, "Next year, we will be taking our baby out in the snow."

Carol decided to cry and Daryl laughed as he wiped away her tears, "Sweetheart, I love you, I won't make you drag our baby into the snow."

"I am crying because I can cry and you won't get mad. I am crying because it's almost Christmas and I love Christmas even more than Thanksgiving."

Daryl pretend groaned and wished that Carol wasn't so sleepy. He felt wide awake and wanted to be with her tears and all. He was even more wide awake when she moved closer to him and said, "I should have put some snow down your back", she ran her fingers all the way down from his neck to his ass.

"I should have put the snow down your front" and he traced her lips with his forefinger and then down to her breasts. He knew to take it slow and easy but he could tell by her breathing that is was going to be a Thanksgiving to remember.

**I am lucky enough to be a member of a family that celebrates Thanksgiving much like Carol did. Christmas is even more fun and I think Carol and Company deserve some fluffy times too.**


	37. Christmas Time

**There is another time jump and this chapter will start in the week before Christmas. Carol has found a letter from her grandmother upstairs and a really special Nativity scene.**

Christmas Time

The weather had been fairly warm and dry until Thanksgiving and after that it was colder and there was an occasional snowy day or night. The men took advantage of dry clear days and worked hard to gather food, clothing, tools, and liquor. All medicines were divided between the homestead and the hospital with the hospital getting the greater share. Melody Hakim had given a list of supplies that she needed and they began whittling that away in December.

The crews at the dam had worked twelve hour shifts and managed to complete the work needed to generate electricity to the town of Adair just after Thanksgiving. The hospital was their first priority and there was a community celebration when the hospital officially turned the lights on. The town hall, the library, and the courthouse were next. Street by street the lights were coming on and the dam was able to manufacture enough electricity to finish the town and surrounding communities. The dam was under county control and a committee made decisions. There was a limit for electrical use per household and the meters were checked carefully.

Melody had enjoined the December appointment with Michonne and Carol. They were accompanied by their husbands and she had been able to use an ultrasound machine to show them their babies and to listen to the heartbeat. Michonne and Jesse had watched the ultrasound and then asked if Carol and Daryl could come in with them. She was glad to say yes, Jesse and Daryl brought in supplies regularly. Carol and Daryl had come in and Carol stood behind Michonne and held her as they watched and Daryl had moved to Jesse's side.

Melody had not been surprised when after they looked at the ultrasound that Carol and Daryl asked if Jesse and Michonne could come in and see their baby. Michonne had kept the tears at bay through her own ultrasound but fell apart when she watched Carol's baby on the screen. Jesse kept patting her back and handing her tissues.

Jesse waited until they were back in the waiting room, "Why did you fall apart when you saw Carol's baby? You were just a little weepy when you saw our beautiful blob that will someday look like a baby."

Michonne just shook her head, "I don't know. I was so excited when I saw our baby and heard the heartbeat. It was like something I dreamed up and not quite real but when I saw Daryl's face staring at that screen trying to figure out how those moving blobs all came together to be their baby I started to cry and looking at Carol's face aglow with happiness made me lose it. It made our baby more real. Those squirming blurs are actual human beings just hanging out inside of us until they want to come out. I am going to have a baby". She cried some more and Jesse looked for more tissues.

Michonne and Carol cried together on the way home. Jesse and Daryl tried not to let these Debbie Downer's affect their good mood and they chatted all the way home. They were daddies and they had a small blurry image on a piece of paper that proved it.

Andrea and Rick were waiting in the great room with Judith when they got home. Rick beamed with real enthusiasm at the gray blobs and hugged everyone. Andrea looked at the blurs and thought of making a joke about Fifty Shades of Gray but decided against it. She looked instead at the tear soaked faces of her two sisters and cried with them for the children they had lost and the children who were alive in them right now.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The house was decorated for Christmas. There was a somewhat overgrown tree that hadn't looked that big when they cut it in the woods but seemed to grow every night. The tree had electric lights that they lit for a couple of hours at night and an angel on top. The girls had sorted through the decorations and decorated the tree with Carl's help.

Carol had found a letter to her from her grandmother among the Christmas ornaments. Her grandmother had realized that she would not live to see Carol come home and she had written a letter telling her how much she had loved her. Grandma Nancy also told her that she had left treasures for Carol within the house.

The first treasure Carol had found was boxed up among the tree ornaments. Carol had loved her Grandmother's Nativity scene as a child. Grandpa had made a wooden stable and a manger and the figurines were made of some sort of plaster with real cloth for the costumes and festooned with imitation jewels for eyes. The wise men wore robes decorated with sequins. Her grandmother let Carol arrange the scene on a table by the window. Everything was stored in a box that Grandpa had made.

Carol had grabbed the box and moved it closer to the window as Lizzie and Mika went through the plastic bin of decorations. It seemed a lot heavier than she remembered and she put the box on a table and opened it up. It was a Nativity scene and Carol picked up one of the wise men and held it up to the light. This figure was made of plaster and clothed in some sort of heavy material. The face was painted and the inset eyes sparkled in the sunlight. The robes were festooned with rubies and diamonds that looked real to Carol. The wise man was carrying a box with gold in it. Carol felt something shift within it and she turned it up and saw that there was a latch on the base of the figure. She fiddled with it and it opened up and a small bag came out. She looked inside and saw several gemstones inside.

Carol looked at the other pieces. Baby Jesus could be removed from the manger and underneath his bed were more precious stones. Jesus was especially heavy and Carol realized that he was made of gold carefully painted over. The animals had gold hidden inside of them. Mary was concealing gold and Joseph gemstones. Her crafty Grandmother had realized that gold and gemstones would have more value than money and salted her wealth away in something that Carol would look for sooner or later.

Carol loved the Nativity scene but she decided to box it back up for right now. She noticed that there was another smaller box inside and she opened it up and found the Nativity scene from her past. Grandma had kept it and it was beautifully restored. Carol decided to put this one up in the great room for everyone to see and only show Daryl this one for right now. She didn't want to keep secrets from the others but she didn't want to attract any more attention from thieves and raiders.

…..

Ashton and Jo had a Christmas Eve party complete with a Black Santa that looked suspiciously like Tyreese. Santa handed out small presents for the youngsters and cookies for the adults. Carol was admiring the Nativity scene on the mantel and recognized that it looked a lot like the one that she had hidden away. Ashton said, "Did you find yours?  
Carol nodded, "It's beautiful but I am afraid to show it off."

Ashton smiled, "I hid what needed to be hid and I put the rest in plain sight. People don't notice as much as you think when it's out in the open. Carol, are you ready for Christmas?"

"We have presents for the Lizzie, Mika, Carl, and Judith. We have Christmas dinner planned. So I guess we are ready."

Beth and Brandon sang and led everyone in some Christmas songs. Daryl wondered how he had wound up here with these people. No one was drunk or ready to start a fight about nothing just to mess up the party. He was sitting in this house as a married man with a baby on the way. He had a really good chance of getting laid when he went back to his own house. If it was a dream, he hoped like hell that nobody would wake him up.

The walk home was cold but they turned toward Adair and you could see the haze of light that was Adair. The stars were gleaming in a dark sky with only a crescent moon tonight. The flashlights pushed the darkness back and they walked quickly back to their homestead.

Mika had insisted on leaving the Christmas tree lit when they left and it shone its colors out into the darkness. Inside the house was warm and comforting. Lizzie and Mika kissed Daryl good night and Carol went upstairs with them for a bit. Everyone went upstairs and Daryl checked the doors and the windows and came back and sat by the fire and watched the tree.

Carol came back downstairs and sat beside him. "I was just sitting her thinking if I was you I'd be crying now," he said to her. Carol smiled at him and put her head on his shoulder and just let the quiet seep in.

Presently, she sat up and looked at Daryl, "I was just sitting her thinking if I was you that I would be taking me to bed now." She gave him her best mischievous smile and Daryl knew that he was a lucky man.

Daryl stood up and held his hand out for her and he unplugged the tree. The room went dark but they both knew the way to their room in the dark.


	38. Happy New Year

**I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and is planning for a happy new year. Daryl has had the happiest Christmas of his life with Carol and their family. He is for the first time in his life actually becoming optimistic about starting another year.**

**Happy New Year**

The Christmas tree had been dragged away and deposited in an area in which it could become cover for the local wildlife. Daryl had spent New Year's Eve morning hunting and brought back enough rabbits for a good rabbit stew for an early supper. They had a couple of bottles of champagne cooling on the back porch though Carol and Michonne weren't going to be allowed more than a sip. The electricity was going to be turned on to their part of McAllister Mountain this afternoon. Carl and Rick had scavenged a wide screen television that they had put on a rolling cart and a DVD player. They had a bunch of DVDs planned if the electricity worked.

Andrea was planning to make pizzas for the party tonight. She had laughed and said who needed pepperoni when you had deer jerky. The herb garden was now in small flower pots in the kitchen and Andrea would turn out a mountain pizza that they would all love.

Carol was insisting that they have cooked cabbage tomorrow for good luck. Her grandmother always cooked cabbage with a bit of silver in the pot because that would bring money to the family for the next year. Daryl thought the old woman must have eaten a ton of cabbage after Carol showed him what was hidden in the Nativity figurines. They had decided to hide the gold and gems in their bedroom. Daryl figured that somewhere down the road gold and gems would take the place of money. Daryl was going to eat the cabbage tomorrow even if cooked cabbage was one of his least favorite foods.

Daryl was taking the girls and Carl into town with him to check in with the sheriff and to let the kids hang out at the library for a while. Carol was taking a nap so that she could stay up past nine o'clock tonight and Daryl checked on her before he left. She was asleep curled up with their new puppy.

Emily had been given two of those mongrels by a grateful citizen of Adair when the electricity was turned on in their neighborhood. Both of the dogs should weigh about ten pounds when they were adults according to the owner and were a mix of poodle and a dog from a good neighborhood. Supposedly they were great walker detectors. They barked at everything that moved but walkers and when they began to panic and hide behind their owners you would know that walkers were around. Daryl thought that was a load of horseshit but the pup was cute as a button and it had attached itself to Carol right off. So, the tiny thing was smart enough to make up with his sweet and forgiving wife. She forgave the pup's mistakes around the house easily enough. Daryl couldn't resist giving her a kiss and pulling the covers up tighter before he left. Where would he be if Carol didn't have a loving heart? He picked up the pup and sighed, "This is my bed and I share it with Carol and our baby who is starting to take up more room in Carol and our bed. No room for you, my hairy friend".

Carol woke up and smiled at Daryl, "Don't be picking on Muffin. She isn't big enough to crowd you out."

Daryl looked at the black and white bundle of joy that Carol called Muffin. "Your grandmother picked out a king size bed for a reason I guess. This bed resembles a life boat some nights".

Carol laughed, "It isn't that bad. The girls only slept with me when you were gone and when Lizzie had those nightmares right before Christmas".

Daryl bent to kiss her again. "No scary movies tonight, I want to have you all to myself on New Year's. You, me, our baby, and this mongrel are enough. Don't get too much rest. I can't keep up with you now."

Carol blushed a bit, "Maybe you had better take a nap when you come back. I want you all to myself tonight and don't be throwing out that headache story again."

Daryl said, "I love a challenge and I have never had a headache in my life." He slid down toward the foot of the bed and grabbed her feet and began to massage them. Carol moaned a little. It felt so good.

The door was open and Lizzie popped her head in, "The earth can move after while Papa. The library will close if you keep playing footsies with Mama Bear. Get your ass in gear and let's roll before it gets dark." Lizzie darted back out before Carol could reprove her and Daryl hid a smile but continued the food massage for a bit just so he could watch Carol's face.

"She's right, get on out of here. I'll demand some pedolove this evening. Be careful". Carol watched Daryl go and knew that Lizzie might be impertinent but she loved her anyway. Poor girl, just starting to feel the pangs of adolescence and living in a house where three couples were screwing like rabbits all the time.

Daryl checked to make sure that the youngsters had put on their seat belts and they rolled toward Adair. He dropped the kids at the library knowing that the place was filled with teenagers and younger kids. It was their hangout. It was social time. He was going to check with the sheriff and visit Glenn at the power plant.

The sheriff saw Daryl come in the courthouse and motioned for him to come into his private office. Daryl thought about the times that some member of the law enforcement community would ask for his help in dealing with Merle. Good luck with that is all he could say.

This sheriff got right to the point, "Thanks for warning me about seeing all the walkers along the highway this week. We are getting more walkers coming up the hill. You would think that the cold would stop them, but it doesn't".

Daryl had to agree, "There are more roaming about on the highways and the towns along it. They aren't clumping up too bad but we need a plan to deal with them."

The sheriff looked at him expectedly, "We need to get the clans involved, put the word out that no one should be out at night, keep the windows boarded up, maintain the fences, and we need to train our fighters to kill without wasting ammo. Maybe did a big trench to deposit walker bodies in?"

Sheriff nodded, "I'll call a clan meeting for the second of January here at the courthouse at 10:00. You'll come with Carol and Patrick. Better have Jesse and Rick to be here as well. This may be the way things are going to be for a while."

Daryl nodded and went to visit Glenn. He and Emily were in the administrative part of the plan looking at plans for expansion. He talked with both of them about the extra dose of walkers that were coming through. Glenn nodded; he had heard stories today about walkers in places that had been walker free before.

Daryl went into the library to say hello to Connie and to locate the kids. He hung out at the desk and chatted with Connie until the kids dragged themselves away from their friends. He warned Connie to watch out for walkers and raiders. Electricity was both a boon and a bane. It was wonderful to have electricity at your fingertips but it had also brought a lot of new people in to town.

Daryl talked to the kids on the way home. They were good about always being armed and could use all sorts of weapons but it was important to realize that the threat was real. Carl nodded and Daryl knew that he would be on guard. The two girls looked serious and he hoped they meant it.

They ate supper early and enjoyed rabbit stew and biscuits. Everyone listened to the news that the walker threat had accelerated. It was still a happy family that gathered to celebrate the end of the year and to welcome the arrival of another year. The movies were all silly comedies and Daryl laughed until his sides hurt and the Mountain Pizza was great with the champagne.

They counted down until the New Year and Daryl kissed Carol happily. There were hugs and kisses all around and he noticed that Carl managed to give Lizzie a quick kiss. He was keeping his eye on that little shit. He remembered being that age a little too well to trust Carl.

The kids wanted to stay up and watch one more movie, but the adults were drifting off to bed.. Daryl checked every door and window twice. He and Jesse had checked on the barn and looked at the cameras. He gave Carl was last warning look and went to find Carol. Muffin was hanging with the girls and Carl in the living room and he hoped she stayed there.

Carol was waiting for him. He brushed his teeth and hurried to bed. It was icy cold outside but comfortable inside. "Remember how cold the prison was? Carol asked and he nodded as he moved closer to her.

"You never even volunteered once to come over and share some body heat." Carol teased.

"I've gotten a lot smarter this year," Daryl said smugly. "I am willing to share a lot more than body heat." He kissed her and she pulled him even closer. He pulled away and grabbed her feet. "I will just start where I was rudely interrupted by our daughter this afternoon." He massaged her feet and she asked, "The door?"

"Locked", he replied and he used a little more strength in his massage. "This time last year we were close but not this close. I had never kissed you, or massaged your feed, or touched you in so many interesting places." He released her feet and kissed her again, and she wrapped her legs around his legs.

Carol thought about the baby. She thought that she felt him move today. It was just a flutter but it was as if Michael had waved hello to her. He was alive and well and waiting his time. Daryl was demanding some of her attention right now and she gave herself over to him. She had found more happiness in the last year than she had ever had. She didn't think this life was ever going to be easy but there was joy in it.

Daryl stayed awake after Carol had fallen asleep with a contented little sigh. He counted blessings for a while and made his only resolution for the next year. He resolved to enjoy the hell out of every day. He had Carol alive and warm in the bed beside him with the baby tucked inside her body. Lizzie and Mika were safe and sound. He had this odd assortment of people who lived with them that he loved. He was a lucky man.


	39. Cabbage Is the Key to Good Fortune

**New Year's Day has lots of traditions and Carol is going to do her best to keep one of them going. This is a chapter in which nothing much happens and everybody just tries to understand what the deal is with eating cabbage.**

Cabbage is the Key to Good Fortune

Daryl had gotten up early and went hunting. It was the New Year's Day and he was looking for wild pig or whatever else he could find to fill the pot. Carol had made him dig out a cabbage yesterday morning and apparently she was believer in eating cabbage and pork on New Year's Day. It was some sort of tradition that her grandmother had maintained during her life and now that the grandmother was gone Carol had decided that she would keep the tradition going.

Carol cut up the cabbage. They had taken ten cabbages and stored them in a pit in the garden at the end of the growing season. Daryl had dug out two yesterday so that they would have it for today. Her grandmother had always cooked cabbage and pork on New Year's Day. Her secret ingredient and one that she always let Carol add was a piece of silver. You would have wealth and good fortune for the next year if you ate it on New Year's Day.

Carol was not usually superstitious but she couldn't help but feel that she had a lot to lose now. She tried not to think about what she could lose but it was always there on the edge of her heart. Her deepest joy was living in a house surrounded by people that she loved. Her deepest fear was that something could happen to those same people. If eating cabbage could somehow in some small way add to the possibility of a positive outcome when the Fates spun their thread, then so be it.

Michonne came down for breakfast and looked over at the cabbage and hoped that it would turn into cole slaw. She liked cole slaw. Michonne was feeling good this morning, no morning sickness for a couple of weeks now. Jesse was off taking care of the horses and she was going to go visit Latifah in a little while and maybe she and Jesse could take a ride this afternoon.

Andrea crawled down a little later. She was feeling a little tired and draggy. She and Rick had celebrated the New Year last night and while he was all perky and chipper this morning she was dragging around like a sick cat.

Carol took one look at Andrea and handed her a cup of tea. She did look at little wiped out this morning, "Moderation in all things, Andrea. Too much party for you". Michonne snickered, "Girl, the next time the high sheriff of McAllister Mountain wants to interrogate you to all hours, you better lawyer up". Carol and Michonne laughed and Andrea rolled her eyes at them. Carol handed her some buttered toast and blackberry jelly.

Rick came down with Judith who wanted to go to Andrea. He grabbed a piece of toast and headed over to Ashton's. Carol took Judith and got her breakfast.

Carl had eaten all ready and was out in the barn with Jesse. Lizzie and Mika were sleeping in this morning. Carol found herself checking her mental list of everyone's location.

Michonne said," Last year had big changes for all of us. We left Georgia and moved up here. Andrea came back to us". Michonne suddenly wanted to cry; pregnancy hormones were a bitch. She hugged Andrea. "Marriages, babies, and new relationships all happened. This time next year we will be knee deep in diaper poop". She wiped her tears away.

Carol thought about this past year. She had a measure of happiness in her life at the prison. Then, she was sent away by Rick. That banishment was the catalyst for Daryl coming after her. Her present happiness was due to Rick's self-righteousness. Rick had been captured and that had resulted in his finding Andrea and bringing her home to them. Rick had come back to them a kinder and less judgmental man. It had been a good year.

Andrea hugged Michonne back and started feeding Judith. She had spent most of last year as slave in a Georgia plantation. She had went from the frying pan of Woodbury to the fire of a plantation ran with military precision. Andrea had no real plan to escape until the day she saw Rick Grimes going through a cafeteria line. Seeing Rick reminded her that there could be a better world out there. Together they escaped the plantation and made their way here. She and Rick were lovers and friends. She loved Judith and had a growing respect and affection for Carl.

Andrea had found a family here in the mountains. She loved all of them. Carol and Michonne were her sisters. She had lost Amy but the Fates had given her Carol and Michonne to love. Rick called them "Cammie" . Carol, Andrea, and Michonne. He wasn't jealous that she needed to hang out with them. He would tease her and say it was "Cammie time". Andrea had decided that she had lost the knack for casual friendships. She loved the people that lived in this house with all her heart.

Jesse came breezing in and smiled at the three faces that smiled back at him. "Hello, what are the three wayward sisters up to this morning?" He kissed Michonne and took a piece of toast. Jesse looked at the cabbage and said to Carol. "Do you have the silver?"

Michonne was intrigued, "What do you need silver for?"

Carol explained , "We always ate cooked cabbage on New Year's Day and Grandma always put a piece of silver before she cooked it. It brings wealth and good fortune to those who eat it on the first day of the year".

Andrea said, "Is that safe? You two have to be careful what you put in your bodies. Baby on board, you know". Cooked cabbage was bad enough but cooking it with silver. Who would do that?

Michonne said, "I am not eating cooked cabbage. It smells worse than any walker I ever got close to. No way, no how am I eating cooked cabbage".

Jesse and Carol looked at each other. Coulters and McAllisters had been eating cooked cabbage on New Year's for a long time. They weren't going to stop the tradition. It was a link to their grandmother and they both had too much to lose.

Daryl came home with a deer but no pig. It was the first time that he was disappointed with a hunt that brought home so much meat for their table. He had tried to work up an appetite for cooked cabbage by remembering being on the road after the fall of the farm. They had eaten some of their meals straight from unheated cans. Cold mixed vegetables still tasted better than cooked cabbage.

Rick came back with some pork that Ashton had sent over. Rick had been surprised that Ashton's wife was making cooked cabbage with a piece of silver in it. Rick thought that cooked cabbage had smelled like the boy's locker room when he was in high school. He had felt sorry for Ashton having to eat that. Rick and Jesse went with Rick to hang up his deer.

Andrea decided to go upstairs and check some homework. She was the unofficial teacher for Carl and the girls. She was upstairs checking their work when she realized that she was late and not for lunch. She started counting back to her last period and realized that was before she had become Rick's lover. They had gone to the wedding and come home early and went to bed together for the first time. She might be pregnant. Maggie had left some stuff in the bathroom while she was here and Andrea went to check it out. Tampons, and stuff, and a package labeled Early Pregnancy Test. She peed on the stick and found that according to an outdated and maybe inaccurate test she was pregnant. Andrea was scared shitless but she was glad that Cammie would help her through this.

Michonne and Jesse had that ride early. They had taken the girls and Carl and had stayed on open roads and fields. The increasing threat of walkers was not to be taken lightly and everyone was armed and cautious.

Carol and Jesse cooked dinner together. Carol had Lizzie and Mika to put in the silver coin before she cooked the cabbage. Grandma had always used an old Spanish coin and Carol had found it in her bedroom in a wooden box that Grandpa had made for Grandma. There had been several coins in that box and Carol guessed Grandma had given them to her children.

Jesse said, "I have a silver coin that Grandma left me. Next year our babies will watch us do this and wonder what is that terrible smell?"

Carol laughed, "Don't encourage them. We have a rebellion on our hands. I suspect there will be a lot of no-thank yous for the cabbage so we better come up with something else to go with our meal."

They conferred and came up with a couple of more dishes and cooked in earnest. Everybody complained about the smell and Carol and Jesse patience was a little worn down. "Ungrateful lot," Jesse grumbled.

Dinner was on time and everyone trooped down. They took their places at the long table. Jesse said the blessing over the meal. There was cooked cabbage cooked in pork and Lizzie dug the silver out. There was cornbread and a big tureen of potato soup. Dessert was a blackberry cobbler.

Carol looked at Daryl and the girls and everyone at the table and took her portion of cooked cabbage. Jesse looked at Michonne and then the others and took his. Daryl looked at Carol and the girls and took his.

In the end they all looked at the people that they loved and ate the cabbage. They understood that eating the cabbage was more of a prayer for than a promise of good fortune. Loving someone comes at a price, the price they paid that night was eating the cabbage and having that frisson of fear when they thought of losing those they loved/

Michonne ate it like the rest. She had as Andrea put it "a baby on board". She loved her little blob and Jesse with her whole heart. She loved the people who sat in this room and wanted the best for them. It didn't smell all that bad.

Lizzie ate hers for Carol and the baby. She was terrified that she would lose Carol the way that Carl had lost his mother. She ate it for Papa Bear and Mika. Her family.

Andrea ate a hearty portion. Judith was sitting between her and Rick and Carl was just on the other side of Rick. Next year there might be another blue eyed baby here with them. She smiled at Rick and thought, "I love him".

Daryl ate his dinner, smiled at his wife and children surrounded by people who loved him. He blinked back tears. He was such a damn pussy.

Carol and Jesse smiled at each other. It was their happy grin smile that lit up their faces and made everyone there smile when they saw it. Grandma Nancy would be proud of them.

**I know nothing much happened in this story. I think in Carol's world a day that nothing much happened is a good day.**

**I ate my cabbage today with a silver coin in it. Family tradition demands it. **

**Happy New Year and please give a review. It really does encourage the Muse and you know how she gets when she is unhappy. **


	40. Team Work

**This chapter starts a new arc. Daryl and Carol are going to battle walkers, the weather, and maybe old demons that have a way of popping up when you think that they have long gone.**

Team Work

Sheriff James Dickens surveyed the crowd in the courtroom before he began speaking. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the McAllister group. Carol McAllister and all her kin were becoming a force in every meeting. She just showed up and said very little but she had the ear of most of the Clan chiefs. Dickens had been a part time deputy sheriff and a part time school bus driver in the old world. By hook and by crook he had maneuvered into this job and intended to keep it. The local clan chiefs had selected him for this job and he had to cater to them to keep it. He had tried flattery on Carol McAllister but she had just looked at him with those cold blue eyes and he knew to stop while he still had a job.

She was sitting between her husband and the one called Michonne, a scary looking Black woman with dreadlock who carried a katana, and beside of her was her husband Jesse Graham. The four of them looked like they should be on a poster labeled, Badass Warriors of the Zombie Apocalypse. They impressed a lot of people around here when they managed to kill some raiders at their place and then there was the whole mega herd stunt that somehow worked. They could cause him problems if they wanted one of their own in his job. Rick Grimes had been a deputy sheriff in Georgia before this happened. They probably wanted to give his job to Rick Grimes, but he wasn't going to let that happen.

He had this planned out. He was going to talk to the group about how there had been more walkers coming up the highway. Then, he would tell them all the things he and his men were doing to control the problem. They would all tell him what a great job he was doing and that would be it. It was all in the spin.

Michonne's scary eyes looked him over. She didn't trust this slimy little bastard. He didn't know shit about police work and spent his time currying favor with the clan chiefs. All except Carol who had first thought him just incompetent but she had lowered her evaluation to completely unscrupulous. Michonne had met plenty of men like him when she had been a prosecutor; she had fond memories of doing her duty to give them quality time in Georgia's finest prisons. Unfortunately, Dickens had managed to con his way into the sheriff's job and she had to listen to his self-promoting drivel.

Dickens adjusted his uniform tie. His uniform was immaculately cleaned and pressed. His wife knew the importance of his appearing to be the epitome of a police officer. He had made that clear to her with a friendly slap or two. She had learned her lesson well; most of the time she was obedient and compliant. That was the way women were supposed to be; Carol McAllister needed to learn that lesson. Her new husband should be the one to discipline her, and he was a tough looking man who looked like he could do the job. There he was sitting beside her as if a woman in charge of a clan wasn't an embarrassment to the whole group.

Carol listened to his rambling talk with skeptical ears. She and Patrick had discussed this yesterday. Patrick was no more fond of Dickens than she was and he was going to ask some tough questions when this was over. She was concerned about more walkers coming through but she didn't have much faith in Dickens to handle it.

Dickens finished his talk and noticed that he didn't get those "atta boy nods" from any of the McAllisters. Patrick and Jesse asked some tough questions and he could feel the sweat seeping out. They wanted specifics and though Carol McAllister hadn't said anything he knew she had set her dogs on him.

Daryl was bored; he would rather be out hunting or working around the homestead. More walkers was serious shit but sitting here listening to this dickwad was a waste of time. They needed to do more than add more men to the roadblock.

Carol was frustrated. Dickens was using this meeting as a public relations event and not enough was being done to thwart the walkers from staggering into Adair. She looked at Daryl to take her mind off of Dickens. He rolled his eyes at her and she smiled at him. It would work out; Patrick and Jesse would push for real changes and Dickens would pretend that the changes were his idea.

The other clan chiefs began to ask more questions and Dickens found that he was losing control of the spin. Patrick and Jesse volunteered to spearhead a group to close off the highway. They would build a strong barricade with a gate that would allow vehicles in and out. The other clan agreed to help. Carol was squirming; she was concerned about the long term effects of increased walker movement.

Dickens adjourned the meeting and immediately began circulating the room talking with different clans. He didn't like to miss a chance to do a little politicking while he had them all together. Dickens didn't like the way clan chiefs were visiting with the McAllisters.

Doug McCullough stopped to talk to Carol and Michonne about this new threat. He had worked with both women on the mega herd project and he respected their opinion. Carol did not think they were doing enough. "Doug, what happens if the roadblock gets overrun? Walkers don't go to sleep at night and they are starting to bunch up. We need to provide some sort of bunker in case they need it. We need to be able to warn everyone that walkers are coming in. I think we should fortify the dam complex. It's too valuable to be unprotected. The hospital needs an extra level of protection too."

Michonne thought about the trip she had taken with Carl and Rick back to their hometown to get weapons. She had been impressed with the traps and snares that Morgan Jones had around that town. She talked to Doug and Carol about fortifying homes and businesses around Adair with those sorts of protection. "Morgan Jones used wood and metal to make all sorts of contraptions to snare walkers so that they could be taken down. I bet Brian McKenzie could help us design some and we start building some now."

Carol added, "We had a mega herd last fall and now we have more coming in. What happens next summer? Will they start going around the highway if they can't through? Our fences will work for a few walkers but not for a big group."

Doug nodded, "Let's have another meeting this week and see what ideas we can come up with to build more defenses. I know that I am going to go home and work on my own home. We may have gotten complacent. We haven't had a major problem in six months".

Patrick and Jesse joined them and they decided to meet at the end of the week. The other clans were eager to talk about what they might need to do. Michonne said, "I wish Morgan Jones was here and could help us. He was crazy as a sack full of drunken hoot owls but he was genius at building walker traps."

Dickens saw Daryl out in the hallway looking out a window. He sidled up to Daryl and began talking about what a great job Carol had done on the mega herd project. "It looks like the old gang is getting back together in there. Carol, Brian McKenzie, and Doug McCullough worked together day and night on that one. You were away during that time, I remember. I am sure that you can help out here and there this time. My goodness, you could wander in at 2:00 in the morning and Carol would be going over plans with Brian or Doug. They are single men so they didn't really have a wife at home." Dickens moved on then, hoping that he had sown some seeds of distrust or discontent with Daryl. Carol McAllister was beautiful and what husband wouldn't be a little jealous to think that she was spending all her time with other men.

Daryl had scowled at Dickens but when he wandered back to the meeting room he saw Carol talking to Doug McCullough and Michonne. Carol was smiling at something that Doug was saying and Daryl felt a spurt of irritation. He joined the group and found that were going to have another meeting soon. He decided that he would skip that one; he could find plenty to do around the homestead.

Michonne talked about the snares and traps that Morgan Jones had built to capture walkers all the way home. Jesse was intrigued by her story and asked all sorts of questions. Carol kept glancing over at Daryl who stared out the truck window all the way home.

**Please give the muse some feedback. Please review this chapter.**


	41. Last Chance

Last Chance

Dinner that night was a quieter than usual. The adults seemed lost in their own thoughts and the youngsters seemed to have caught the somber mood. Carol had talked with Lizzie and Mika about carrying their weapons and being extra careful. Jesse had talked with Rick, Andrea, and Carl about the plans to block the highway. Daryl had gone hunting when they got back but had come home empty handed.

Carol, Andrea, and Michonne cleaned up the kitchen after dinner. Andrea was feeling better and their mood seemed to lift as they worked together. They made some herbal tea when they were finished and just had some Cammie time.

Michonne took a wary drink of the tea and made a face, "When this baby pushes itself itself out of my body and we are no longer sharing all my bad habits, I am never ever going to drink herbal tea again".

Carol laughed, "It tastes like somebody brewed up their fifth grade leaf collection. Yuck".

Andrea said, "It's not that bad, remember when Daryl brewed up the Southern Iced tea when we had that meltdown when we were canning? We sat out on the porch and talked for hours."

Michonne said, "Now if we could pour some Southern Comfort in this it would help". There was a long silence as they contemplated pregnancy and then breast feeding. Forever.

TWDTWDTWD

Jesse, Rick, and Daryl discussed the walker situation. Patrick had already gotten a team together to start building a sturdy blockade on the highway. Jesse was curious about Morgan Jones, "Do you think he could help us build defenses against walkers?"

Rick contemplated Morgan. "He's a good man. He wouldn't leave when I asked him before but that was some time ago. I could go and ask him".

There was a long silence as they contemplated telling the women they loved that they were going to leave them and go back to Georgia to find a man that was reality challenged.

Daryl remembered telling Carol that he wouldn't leave her again. She was going to throw that shit right back at him. He didn't want to go; he had a pregnant wife and two daughters that needed him to be here. He had sulked all day because he had been jealous of Carol and Doug McCullough just talking. Carol was going through some sort of hormone spurt and wanted sex all the time. Carol had never been indifferent about sex but lately she was downright aggressive. She had in her Carol fashion referred to herself as being more "assertive". He wanted to stay here to keep the horny hordes away from Carol and to enjoy Carol pursuing him for more sex.

Jesse looked over at Michonne laughing with Carol and Andrea. She was going to take her katana and flay him alive if he went with Rick to find Morgan Jones. Last night they had lain in their bed and read "The Song of Solomon" to each other and he could still hear the echo of her voice.

" _And the roof of thy mouth like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak._

_I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me._

_Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages._

_Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give thee my loves."'_

It had been both erotic and romantic and Jesse knew that was the essence of how he felt about her. He wanted her physically and loved her heart and mind too. She was just beginning to be used to living with him after being alone for so long. Michonne had been a free spirit before traveling where and with whom she wanted. That was in her past but she might still long for that freedom. She loved him and she needed him more that she would admit. She was carrying his child beneath her heart and he should be here. This was on him; he was the one who had asked about Morgan and sparked this debate.

Rick looked at Andrea. He was hopelessly smitten with her. He loved the earthy sensual side of her that could make him grow hard just watching her eat pizza. Andrea had not rushed into his bed; she had demons to deal with of her own, but she had made the wait worthwhile. He loved the Andrea who cuddled Judith and accepted Carl as a young man. She loved him but she was not going to be happy about this.

Rick wanted to bring Morgan here. He owed the man his life and for once he wanted to bring back someone he had left behind. He had an inkling that this might be his last chance to find Morgan. He didn't want to lose it. He had missed his last chance to make up with Lori and that had cost him his sanity. He was tired of regrets; he had left Carol and he would never be able to undo that. Finding Morgan would not change what he had done but he did have a chance to give Morgan a better life.

TWDTWDTWD

Michonne noticed that Andrea was drinking the tea with them. Why would anyone drink this swill when they could have coffee? She narrowed her eyes at her friend. Andrea wasn't all that noble. She wouldn't drink herbal tea just because they were off caffeine. Was she pregnant and hadn't told? God knows that she had been exposed often enough since she and Rick had gotten together.

Andrea saw that Michonne was looking at her with suspicion. She drank some of the tea and pretended to enjoy it. It tasted awful.

Carol smiled at them both. She knew that Andrea was pregnant with a baby girl. Andrea's daughter Amy would one day marry Michonne's baby boy. The sight might be a curse sometime but it occasionally gave her glimpses of a world that they could create. "Be still, Michonne, Andrea needs to tell Rick first".

Later that night Carol listened to Daryl tell her all the reasons why he needed to go with Rick and Jesse to find Morgan. She was hurt and angry that he was running off with the boys and leaving her to take of everything while he was gone. Daryl also admitted that he was jealous when she spent time with other men. Carol pointed out that was inconsistent with him taking off and leaving her all the damn time.

Daryl was never good at expressing himself. He didn't want to go but Rick and Jesse would be safer if he went. He wasn't good at going to meetings and dealing with assholes like Dickens. He was good at keeping people alive in times of danger. He had pledged that Jesse would be his brother and that he would protect him at their wedding. He wasn't letting his brother wander off with Rick without him. Carol cooled down then; the fight was over.

Jesse approached Michonne cautiously. She was in a cheery mood until he told her that he needed to go with Daryl and Rick. He was glad that he had hidden the katana. She hissed, "Is this the way it is? I stay home like a brood mare and you just go all sorts of adventures. I stay home and drop babies while you and the boys hang out?"

Jesse considered it a good sign that castration hadn't been mentioned and that she was more pissed that she didn't get to go than anything else. "We can be down there in two days and back in two. No more than five days all together. If this guy doesn't want to go, then we are coming home. Michonne, I love the warrior part of you".

"I noticed that my katana is not where I left it." Michonne said.

"I love the crazy woman part of you too, but I want my body parts to stay attached, " Jesse stated. He held her as she worked through her resentment and fear.  
Michonne demanded, "You have to bring back some pecans. I want a pecan pie".

Rick asked Andrea how she would feel if he went after Morgan. She told him in about fifteen minutes. In the sixteenth minute she told him she was pregnant and he was an ass. His genuine joy at her being pregnant managed to change her mind about the ass part. He promised to be back in five days. She relented because it was important to Rick.

Carol was through fighting Daryl about the trip. She actually enjoyed a good fight with Daryl once in a while. She never loved him more than when she was fighting with him. She could express her anger or disappointment with complete trust that he wasn't going to express himself in a violent way. He might get louder and stomp around some but he let her be Carol. And right now Carol had expressed her point of view and the fight was over. It was now time for make up sex and since the fight had been spectacular then she was expecting spectacular sex. Daryl agreed; he wanted Carol to remember who delivered the mail around here.

**The weather is cold, really cold. The muse is saying that making promises to be back in five days when it is the middle of winter is foolish.**

**Please review; the muse wants your opinions even when she winces when she reads them.**

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	42. Home the Hunter, Home from the Hill

**The muse says it's time that to explore the inner workings of Daryl Dixon's mind. He still has his old demons lurking around to bite him on the behind and to lead him to saying or doing the wrong thing. He is still trying to adapt to being a husband, be a father to Lizzie and Mika and the inky blur that lives in Carol's abdomen, and then living in a home with that houses so many people. That is a lot of adapting and Daryl has developed a "crutch" to talk himself through his feelings. Please read and review. I really appreciated your last responses**

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Home the Hunter, Home from the Hill

Daryl woke up the next morning after a night of heated discussion and spectacular sex with Carol. He eased out of bed and put on his hunting clothes. They were leaving tomorrow morning early and he wanted to get some meat for the table while they were gone. Daryl sat down beside a still unconscious Carol and kissed her ear. She was still pissed at him for leaving and he was still pissed off jealous of other men around her. He only knew that he loved her and he was trying. Her curls were reaching out in every direction and he wanted to muss them even more. She naked under the covers and he wanted to forget about hunting and crawl back into bed and see if he could remember more of that sex shit that Merle used to talk about all the time. Daryl had totally ignored all of that shit until he had Carol and then he brought it back out and dusted it off and used it with Carol. She probably knew that he wasn't inventive enough to come up with some of that shit without help but she just showed her appreciation in her own way. Daryl pulled back the cover and kissed her shoulder and then her neck. Carol pulled him in for a kiss and then he pulled away. It was time to hunt.

Daryl used the four wheeler to get farther away from the homestead. There was a skiff of snow on the ground and that would make tracking easier. It was colder than a well digger's ass out her but the sun was lighting up the snow like a field of diamonds and he was going to find a deer today. Daryl knew where a meadow was further on and he started walking. He loved the sounds of the birds and the rustle of wildlife in these woods.

Daryl was in no hurry. The house was going to be all upside down today. Rick and Jesse could gather the stuff; this trip was their idea not his. He was only going to make sure that nothing happened to Jesse; he loved that guy and Michonne needed him. Going all the way to Georgia to find a crazy man to help them build traps and snares made them crazier than Morgan was.

The meadow was empty but Daryl found a spot to hang out for a while. Every man has his secrets and Daryl was no different. Daryl had loved Merle and he had chosen his own way to deal with his passing. Daryl would talk to Merle while he was hunting. Sometimes Merle would "talk" to him but Daryl knew that he was just imagining what Merle would say. He should have talked to Merle when he hunted yesterday and was pissed off about what that peckerwood Dickens had said. It had taken Daryl a while to figure out that he had been played but when he did he knew that Dickens was a sneaky bastard who wanted to cause trouble for Carol. Daryl knew it was time to talk with Merle.

Merle: _Got your tit in a wringer over something an asshole said about your wife? And you didn't get arrested for smacking that shit eating grin off of that pig's face? _

Daryl: I was halfway home before I figured it out. I didn't really pay any attention to anything he said until I saw Carol talking and laughing with Doug McCullough. I don't like men sniffing around my woman. I know what they are up to; I lived with you too long to think that they aren't all a bunch of horn dogs.

Merle: _So they want to screw your wife, what's that to you? You should just chalk it up as a compliment, Lil Bruther. Don't take it all personal. They see a pretty woman and they want to bump uglies with her. Do you think Carol wants to have sex with them?_

Daryl: She loves me. She shows me that she wants me. Carol doesn't want them.

Merle: _Stop being such a damn pussy. You got a baby coming and you need to grow your ass up now. Now listen, after you finish up here, go on down to Adair and find that fine son of mine and tell him to get his ass up on that mountain and stay there until you get back. You are leaving three pregnant women and a bunch of kids in the middle of the damn winter to go traipsing off in search of another resident of Crazy Town_.

Daryl: Two men is not enough. They need me_._

_Merle: I know you are going for the black sheep of the family. Now don't get all pissy. I like Jesse and he was damn smart enough to claim his Nubian Queen right off. He didn't pussy around for two damn years waiting until his moon was in Saturn or some such shit. I would have tried myself except she was still pissed about me trying to kill her for the Governor. Damn fine woman though. You bring her Jesse back to Michonne. She and Jesse are your kin now._

Daryl: I am afraid that I am going to mess something up. I ain't like dear ole dad, but I let things fester in my head like being jealous or thinking I am not good enough for Carol. Like I don't know how to be a father. I know how to be alone; I had plenty of time to learn. Sometimes I don't know how to be with someone all the time.

Merle: _Don't ask me. I never knew how to even be with you all the time. I just kept wandering off. You love her and you like her so don't make it all complicated. Just treat her like she is your Celtic Queen and you are her gallant knight. Don't be some pansy ass consort either. You be a man in your own right and leave the Queen business to her. She is good at taking care of everybody else so you have to protect her from her good intentions. Michael McAllister-Dixon ? After hauling your sweet ass all over Georgia and you don't name your boy after me. Ungrateful whelp. I did love you, Daryl and you did right by me. You'll do right by her. Now get you Derlina ass out there and bring some meat home to the table. And go get Caleb today._

Daryl wiped tears from his eyes. He knew he was talking to himself but sometimes it was like a sober Merle was here with him. He missed him and always would. Sober dead Merle gave great advice too.

Daryl peered out from his hiding spot and saw a fine buck close by. Merle must have drove it this way he thought and he was smiling when he took it down. Daryl took a moment to thank the deer for allowing him to use it to feed his family. Daryl had read that Native Americans always thanked the animals that they killed. He always thanked them but he never let anyone know. A man had to have some secrets. Daryl field dressed the big buck and was glad that he had the four-wheeler close by. It was heavy.

Daryl went back to the homestead and hung the buck up to cool. He took Carol with him to find Caleb. She had moved over beside of him in the truck and rested her head on his shoulder. "I am still pissed, you know."

Daryl sighed, "I know, my Celtic Queen but a knight has to go on quests and I have to go on this one. He's my kin now."

"Don't queens get to give orders?" Carol wished she could order Daryl to stay here.

Daryl laughed, "They order the peasants around but the knights are an independent lot. They pledge their service to the queen but they still have to slay some dragons once in a while."

Carol was glad that Daryl was in better spirits after his successful hunt. "The knight always comes home to the queen after slaying the dragon. Right?"

Daryl promised, "Yes, he does. He always comes home to his queen because he loves her and misses her when he is gone."

**I hope you like this one. The next ones won't be so fluffy.**

**Review please. **


	43. Poet Warrior

**The muse is demanding some love to her favorite pairing, Jesse-Michonne so this chapter will give us a glimpse of them as they prepare for another parting. I appreciate your reviews**.

Poet Warrior

Michonne's first thought when she woke up was that Jesse would be leaving tomorrow morning and she shouldn't waste a minute of this day moping about his trip. She was surprised to see Jesse still asleep; he always woke up before her and in a good mood. Michonne couldn't remember him waking up after her. She sat up in bed and watched him sleep. He even slept sweetly; he was a man at peace with himself and this troubled world. She watched his eyelids flicker and saw his eyes the instant that he recognized her. His eyes lit up and he smiled that Jesse smile and she knew that she was going over the waterfall again today. There was that exhilaration of flying and the fear that the landing would be too hard. She would always love him and she would always fear losing him.

Jesse looked at his true love and smiled again. Today would be a good day. He needed to get everything ready to go but he could do all that with Michonne. She was savvier than him about how to survive in Georgia. He needed to talk some things over with her before he left.

The morning was spent packing. They were taking the Tahoe and Carol kept adding medical supplies and warm clothes. Michonne kept adding ammo and weapons. Brian brought over a portable cooking grill made of iron that he had designed. You put the charcoal or wood on the bottom and there was a grill top. He even threw in a small bag of charcoal. It just looked like a grill to Jesse but Brian seemed very proud of it so he took it and thanked him. Carol added some pots when she saw it and a few hot drink mixes. He made everybody stop when the back was filled. "No more or we'll have to start throwing things out."

He and Michonne took the horses for a walk because the doctor did not want her riding. They walked to the back meadow and the sun was warm enough to enjoy the walk. They ate lunch at a rock that looked down over the meadow and the blue mountains beyond. Jesse sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her and they talked about the baby.

"It's a boy," Jesse announced in her ear. He seemed very sure of it and Michonne decided to tease him a little.

"Oh, do you have the sight now? What makes you so sure that the baby isn't a girl?" Michonne didn't care one way or the other. She just wanted to be able to hold their baby.

Jesse kissed her neck, "My grandmother told me the night she died that I would have a son. I thought she meant Aiden, but she shook her head at me and told me that she had been holding the name for another son." His voice trailed off and Michonne kept quiet. Jesse rarely talked about his son that had died last winter. "Grandma was fading in and out; she told me that she was ready to go and not to think she would be haunting the place as a ghost. Jamie was waiting for her and she wanted me to name by boy after him. You notice that there is a Joshua, Jonathan, and a Jared but no McAllister man had a James. So do you mind if we name our boy, James McAllister-Graham?"

Michonne chalked another one up for Grandma Nancy who was still calling the shots from the grave. "I like that name; it sounds awfully serious though for a baby. Could we call him Jamie?" She did like the name.

Jesse moved from behind her and came around to stand in front of her and Michonne felt the chill in the mountain air. Jesse regarded her for a moment, "Michonne, it's time to start living your life thinking that there is a tomorrow, a next week, another month, and years to go before we sleep."

Michonne was immediately furious with him, "I married you, I am having your baby. I am living my life. What do you want from me now?"

Jesse felt her anger and knew that it was fueled by her fear. "I want you to get some maternity clothes. You are still trying to wear your old clothes and they don't fit anymore. You aren't the same woman who came up the mountain with Carol and Daryl. The baby is more real to me than to you. You do the right things and I know that you love him, but you don't really plan for him to be in our lives. You love me but part of you is holding something back so that you can make it without me."

Michonne guarded her tongue. She had seen too many people blurt something out that they regretted. She reviewed Jesse's statement and planned ways to refute it. "I can still wear my clothes."

Jesse laughed, "Yes, you can, but they are too tight. I found some clothes on a run last week and I hid them in a box in the barn. I cleaned out a maternity section of a store. I didn't have the nerve to bring them out yet. And now Andrea is pregnant too. You aren't doing this alone. You have me and Carol and Andrea. I looked at some of those clothes and thought about what you would look like in them. You are going to be adorable."

Michonne snorted, "Adorable? Do you think that I am going to be knitting booties and holding puppies?"

Jesse said, "I adore you. You are adorable to me. I think you will be looking at knitting needles and figuring how to make a weapon out of them. I am going to think you are adorable when you can't see your feet or get out of a chair. Go through the clothes while I am gone and decide what suits you. I don't think I saw any leather maternity clothes, but I'll keep looking."

Jesse saw that she was listening but still planning to eviscerate him on cross examination. He went on, "We need to start hunting up things that we are going to need for James. We can't live our whole lives in an upstairs bedroom. I know that you will never be the little woman waiting with a hot meal when I come home from the office. I thought that you wanted your own house when we moved to the other house, but that wasn't right for you. What would you say if we build an addition to this house. Just a big bedroom and bath on the bottom floor. There is enough material already stored in an outbuilding to build the room and bath. We'll put the baby's crib there with us until he is big enough to move upstairs with Michael."

Michonne blinked at Jesse. He had been making plans all along, hunting up maternity clothes and figuring out where their space would be in this house. He was moving James upstairs with Michael before either of them was even born. She hadn't been comfortable in the other house. She who had wandered the pine forests and fields of Georgia all alone had been miserable whenever Jesse wasn't there. She had been homesick for the homestead with its continual clatter of her people, of Judith crying or cooing, Carol banging pots in the kitchen, Lizzie and Mika squabbling, Carl singing to Judith, and Andrea laughing about some escapade that they had gotten into. She wasn't the woman who had come up the mountain with Carol and Daryl; that woman had safeguards built around her heart. Part of her would always be the warrior, but her heart and her body were expanding to cover more territory.

She smiled at Jesse and shook her head, "I thought women were supposed to nest. What color are the walls? Yes, if Carol and Daryl will allow us to build on I would love to live here with you today, tomorrow, next month, and every year that we have left. I really don't want to be anywhere else. I love you, my poet-warrior."

Jesse relaxed, "I thought you were the most beautiful woman I ever saw when I walked into that barn that day. I wanted you from the get-go, but that isn't love. I knew that I would love you forever one day in the barn when you were showing Judith our horses. Just the way your face looked when she reached out her hands to grab Latifah's mane. You laughed and let her hold on to her mane and then you put your face against Latifah and I felt how much you had lost. I knew I loved you then. Today, tomorrow, next week, another month, and forever and forever. I can't bring back what you lost but we can be happy together."

Michonne thought about when she knew that she loved him, "I knew that I loved you at the gate that night because I was afraid that you were wandering home with your mind on your nether regions when you should be thinking about what was out in the dark with you. You were talking about the "darkling twilight" and you needed to be a warrior so that you could come back to be the next day. The warrior side of you needs to be on full alert while you are away. I promise that I will be wearing a maternity top when you get back. That is what I am doing for you, my good husband, so watch your back. Was there any maternity lingerie? Anything to inspire you not to linger down in Georgia?"

Jesse said, "Damn, we could have had our own clothing line. Leather lingerie for the expectant mother. Why do I have all these good ideas now that the retail business is in an all time slump. Michonne, you out of the maternity top and in our bed is what will keep me from lingering in Georgia. Let's get out of this cold. Maybe we could go home and heat up some of that apple cider and sit by the fire for a while."

It was warm and cosy by the fire and Michonne allowed herself to cuddle against Jesse. She had gone upstairs when she got in an put on a pair of sweat pants and Jesse's Howard University sweatshirt. It felt good to wear bigger clothes and to drink warm cider with her husband.

The house was noisy as always. Carol was banging some pots in the kitchen and Andrea dragged her away from Jesse to help with dinner. They were having venison, scalloped potatoes, and green beans. Andrea was making a dessert and they needed her to make the scalloped potatoes because everyone loved the way she made them. Jesse volunteered to peel the potatoes and everyone was talking at the same time and she was glad to be home.

**Michonne does the whole enigmatic and stoic thing so very well that we forget how much she has lost and how frightened she is to actually trust that her life can be better. I love Jesse and Michonne so the muse says let them have their happy day, or tomorrow, or week, or month, or forever.**

**Please review and let me know that you are out there somewhere worrying about this trip down to Georgia**.


	44. Georgia on my Mind

**So the men are finally getting started. I seem addicted to fluff. Well, what can you do? I start off one way and fall back at the end**.

Georgia on my Mind

Daryl started the Tahoe so that the engine could warm up before they took off. It was that awkward goodbye saying time that he hated. Everything was loaded, too much stuff for only five days. Carl had gone up to the gate to let them out and it was time to go. Daryl believed that the sooner you got started the sooner you'd be coming up that mountain toward the homestead. The goodbyes had been said and it was time to go. Jesse got in, Daryl took shotgun, and Rick got in the back. Rick had captured their goodbyes on his tablet camera and had a solar charge that he used to keep it charged up.

The weather was clear and dry and they made good time down the road and to the highway. The road block wasn't finished and they went on through and Daryl began noticing that there were more walkers coming up the mountain. They were scattered out and there wasn't a herd but there was enough to be a force if they clumped into herds. Rick commented, "I never saw so many walkers on this road and they are not just wandering around."

Jesse slowed the Tahoe down. The walkers weren't moving fast but you didn't want to hit one because it might mess up something on their ride. They might be remnants from the mega herd or they might be another herd forming but there were enough to raise his hackles.

They were soon in the foothills and there were more walkers than there had been. The route that they were taking was outside cities and towns and they only stopped to scavenge more fuel and to eat. Carol had packed venison sandwiches and something hot to drink. They made good time and found themselves in Georgia well before dark.

They went through a deserted town and Daryl spied a furniture store. Someone had blocked up the windows and bolted the place tight. It was dusty inside but there was no sign that anyone had ever used it. There were beds and mattresses and they ate the last of the venison sandwiches and drank the water that they brought. Jesse took first watch and he could hear the occasional grunt and moan of walkers during the night.

They left the next morning and Daryl locked the place back up. It had been a good place to stay for a bit. The deciduous forests of the mountains had changed to the pine forests and fields of Georgia and the weather was warm and bright. King's County was a less than a day's journey away now and they were glad to get started.

Rick drove today. He was on high alert and he could sense the tension in Daryl today. Jesse kept scanning in all directions. There were lots of walkers around and every mile took longer than he thought it should. It was late afternoon before they turned down the two lane road that led to Rick's hometown and the last place that anyone had seen Morgan.

Rick entered Kingsborough slowly and headed to the spot that he had left Morgan. His stomach was in knots and his right hand kept touching the machete like sword that he used to kill walkers. Daryl had his crossbow and knife handy. Jesse had a sword and knife. They were ready.

Rick parked the Tahoe and they got out carefully and moved behind cover. There weren't any walkers in the immediate vicinity but they saw the traps and snares. Morgan might be somewhere close, but the town seemed quiet as a ghost town.

Rick could see the building that Morgan had lived in and he moved closer and shouted, "Morgan, its Rick. Me and my friends just want to talk to you, Come on out now."

There was a long silence and then, "What do you want to talk about? And why do you need to bring two armed men to talk to me, Rick?"

Rick recognized Morgan's distinctive voice and thought that he sounded clear. He didn't blame him for being careful. "It's not safe to travel very far alone, Morgan. We came here from North Carolina to see you. Can we come closer?"

Morgan's voice sounded closer, "Rick, you come on out and then your friends. I want to see your faces."

Rick said, "You two stay here and let me talk to him. Watch yourself. He knows this town inside out." Rick stepped out into the open. "Morgan, here I am."

There was a long silence and then Rick saw Morgan standing on the roof adjacent to him. He must have perfected a way to move along the rooftops. Rick waved to the man who had saved his life and was glad to see that Morgan waved back, "Stay there, Rick. I am coming down". A minute or so later Morgan walked out of an alley toward him.

Rick put his knife back into its sheath and held out his hand to Morgan who took his hand and shook it as if they were just meeting. Rick saw that Morgan's eyes reflected a more settled soul than when he had last seen him. Rick hugged him then and Morgan hugged him back. "Meet my friends, Morgan," Rick urged and Morgan nodded.

Rick motioned for Jesse and Daryl to join them. They moved slowly and cautiously toward the two. Michonne had warned Jesse that Morgan had been obsessed with "clearing" when she had met him. Morgan shook their hands while Rick introduced them.

Morgan said, "We should get out of the street. Grab your stuff and I'll take you to my place. It'll be dark soon and there will be more walkers around here. Maybe more than we can handle."

They grabbed their stuff and followed Morgan up a steep ladder. Daryl was glad that he was the last one up the ladder so that no one was behind him giving him hell for having such a hard time dragging his pack up the ladder. Morgan pulled the ladder up when Daryl go up to the roof.

Morgan led them along the rooftops and across wooden bridges that linked buildings. Finally they went through a large window and into the top floor of a building. The stairs had been blocked off and the space was one large room. The large space was divided into different areas and Morgan closed the window behind them and began drawing down heavy dark shades. He moved quickly and soon the room fell into complete blackness. Jesse and Daryl nudged each other and then spread apart enough to be able to fight if this was one of Morgan's traps.

Morgan lit an oil lamp and then another. "Didn't mean to startle you guys, but I always get inside well before dark. There are too many walkers out there then. Excuse my manners. Drop your bags and rest. I'll light some more lamps and make you something to eat and drink."

Morgan moved around the big room and lit enough lamps so that they could see that the space was clean and comfortable. Daryl put his bag down beside of a comfortable recliner and sat down. Jesse walked to the bookcase and looked at the titles. Morgan had good taste in literature and he dropped his backpack there. Rick moved closer to Morgan and asked him how he was doing.

Morgan shook his head, "Much better than the last time you were here. I decided after you left that I needed to bring more people to this town and I met a group moving through one day and they stayed here in town for a few weeks and then moved on. I almost went with them but they seemed content to keep moving and I don't want that. I moved here from my last place. I still clear when I can but there are more walkers all the time. Rick, I think they are leaving the cities and moving out into the countryside. It's really dangerous out there, more than ever."

Rick was glad to hear that Morgan wanted to meet people. He had lots of people for Morgan to meet. "We came here because we want you to come and live with us. We need you Morgan to teach us how to build traps and snares. We live in a farm up in the mountains in North Carolina and I think you can be happy there."

Morgan lit his big camp stove and heated up some chili and he made corn cakes to go with it. "Let's eat first and you can tell me what you have been doing since you were here."

Daryl got up and prowled over to the shaded windows and peeked out carefully. Morgan had put solar lights along the street in front of this building and it was not yet completely dark and he could see that there were walkers moving along out front. Too many to want to fight and he was glad to be three stories from the ground floor.

Morgan called them to the dining table and served them chili and corn cakes after asking a blessing over their food. The chili was hot and the corn cakes were good. There was coffee and they all enjoyed dinner. Daryl watched Morgan and he seemed sane to him. He wanted to look again at some of the traps and for the first time he really hoped that Morgan would come back with them. He was too good a man to live his life down here all alone. Being alone was no good for anybody and Daryl thought about Carol and wished that he was home.

Morgan and Jesse talked about his books. Morgan had "borrowed" them from the local library and joked that he hoped he never had to pay the fines. Jesse asked, "What did you do before this started?"

Morgan thought about his life before and it seemed as if it was a slideshow of somebody else's life. "I was a soldier when I was younger and then I became a history professor at a small college. I had a wife and a son. It was a good life". Morgan cleared the table and put the dishes into the sink.

Morgan was figuring this group out. Rick wasn't the leader, but he was the reason that they were here. Jesse had been a soldier. Daryl was the quiet one who never said much but watched everything. These men knew how to fight but they seemed to think they needed him. They had clear honest eyes and you could believe what they would say.

Rick got out their map and showed Morgan where Adair was located. They lived close to the town on a farm. Morgan asked about the prison and Rick told him that the prison had been lost to a warlord and walkers. Daryl and his wife Carol had taken some of their surviving group to her family in North Carolina and other survivors had joined them there. He had been captured and used as a slave until he had escaped with another slave and they had made their way to the others and found his two children were still alive and being taken care of by Daryl and his wife.

Morgan decided that Rick might be a tad delusional himself and this story was just Rick's wishful thinking. It didn't sound real to him. It was just another fairy tale. You never found anybody when you lost them in this world. There was no happy ever after now. It was just pain and loss and these three men were just looking for another sojourner to travel their lonely roads in search of what was never to be found. Well, he wasn't about to fall for that trap. He would stay here and watch the world go by, but he had no urge to be an eternal pilgrim in search of a Shangri-La that didn't exist.

Rick saw that Morgan needed some convincing and he brought out his tablet. He wasn't very good with it but Lizzie and Carl had made a video for him to take. He had put it on the solar charger this morning and set it in the vehicle where the sun shone in.

"Just watch this video that my boy made. He's gotten a lot bigger than he was when he was here before. He and Daryl's daughter Lizzie made this video so that you could know that Adair is a real place and that we want you there."

Rick angled the tablet so that Morgan and the others could watch it. He had seen it several times and he thought it was really good. The opening scene was shot in the great room of the homestead at Christmas Eve. There were shots of Rick with Andrea holding Judith. Jesse was kissing Michonne under the mistletoe and Carol and Daryl were working in the kitchen together.

Rick's favorite part was the one of them making the snow angels during the snow storm and playing in the snow that night.

Lizzie had filmed Carl in the barn with his horse Morgan. Carl said that he had named his horse Morgan because he knew that was the name of a good man who had saved his father. Carl showed the other horses and the outside of the homestead. Carl walked them through their house and introduced the people inside. Carol had smiled at the camera and said, "We have a place for you, Morgan." She had a smile that made you want to smile back at her. Daryl was a lucky man.

Morgan remembered the dark warrior-woman who had come with Rick on his last visit. She smiled, "We want you here with us". Morgan thought that she had a killer smile. Jesse was standing beside her and it looked like he thought so too. "Come on up, Morgan."

Lizzie and Carl had done a good job filming the mountains around the farm. They had a brief clip of Tyreese and Brian working in his blacksmith shop and they stop and hold up a hand printed sign "We need Morgan".

The closing montage was simple. They had filmed the dinner the night before they left. They were all sitting around the table eating and having a good time. The final clip was of Judith who had been filmed sitting on Carl's lap at the table and who held her hands up to Andrea to take her. Lizzie had filmed it from the side and you could see Rick's face beaming at Judith and the love on Andrea's as she held the baby. Lizzie had blown a kiss to Judith because Judith would always blow one back at her. Judith blew a kiss toward the tablet and it came out looking as if it was directly to the viewer.

Morgan watched it in awe. It wasn't a fairy tale. Rick did have his son and his daughter and a beautiful woman too. It was Carl in the video grown taller. Morgan had made it through the entire video with his mind still set on staying in Georgia until he saw the dinner scene. Those people loved each other and they were making it without him. Then he saw Carl with his sister. That little baby girl growing up in his terrible world. She needed all the protection she could get. Morgan had loved the shot of Rick and his woman with the baby and knew he was a goner when Rick's baby girl blew him a kiss. Duane had done that when he was a baby. Morgan would kiss him goodbye while Jenny fed Duane his breakfast and his baby boy would blow his proud daddy a kiss before he left. It didn't feel like somebody else's life when he thought about Duane blowing him a kiss with a hand full of whatever breakfast was that morning. It felt real but it didn't hurt as much as it did. It almost made him happy to remember those happy times.

Morgan didn't say anything but he asked Rick to play the video again and this time he understood it better. This was the life that the Carl and all this crew had managed to make for themselves and they wanted him to come and be with them. They needed help and they wanted him. He had a place, a real place, and he could have a real life. That baby needed him.

"I'll be ready to go in the morning", Morgan said.

**Please give a review. I need some feedback. **


	45. Close the Door

**Who can resist a cute baby? Morgan is ready to go and so are the others. The Homestead is calling our men home.**

Close the Door

Daryl had watched the video twice by himself. He watched it the first time to see Carol and those that he loved again at home being themselves and then the second time to appreciate Lizzie's talent for telling a story with photographs and film. Every image seemed to flow naturally until the next and the end with Judith was so sweet that you wanted it to go on and on. No wonder Morgan had crumbled. Daryl gave it to Jesse and rolled out his sleeping bag. The sooner you went to sleep the sooner you could wake up and start for home.

Jesse watched it only once. It would be too dangerous to watch it twice. It made you want to grab your pack and run to the Tahoe and it was the middle of the damn night and the street was a walker festival. He went to sleep instead.

Morgan packed his photos of his wife and child, then his weapons, some food, and some clothes. It wasn't all that much and he would leave the rest for some poor soul who needed it. Rick was already in his sleeping bag and Morgan said his prayers and was soon asleep.

They were up and ready well before daylight the next morning. Breakfast was some homemade protein bars and all the hot coffee that they could drink. Morgan packed a coffee pot and his last can of coffee. He was the last one out of the apartment and he closed the window carefully. He had heard the old adage about how a door closed means another opens.

They moved in the dim light toward the parked Tahoe with Morgan leading the way. The wind was blowing hard this morning and it was colder than yesterday. Morgan pulled out the ladder from its resting place on the roof and brought it down toward the ground. He took a last look around his rooftop kingdom and noticed that there was a window shade out of place on an apartment on the other side of the alley. The group that had stayed here had used those apartments and he knew good and well that the shades had been drawn yesterday. They were down but not as far as he always left them.

Rick asked, "Is there something wrong?" Morgan was staring at a window on the opposite side of the alley.

Morgan looked back at the three men. "I have to check that out before I go. Don't like to leave the place a mess."

Jesse volunteered to go with him and they slipped down the ladder and around behind the other building. There was a ladder propped up to the fire escape and Morgan knew that ladder was kept hidden in the large dumpster beside of the building. There was also a suv parked there that he didn't remember. Morgan led the way up the ladder and onto the fire escape. He went quietly up the fire escape to the top floor and gently eased up the window. Jesse was right behind him. Morgan couldn't see into the dark room and he found his flashlight and turned its beam into the room. It illuminated a woman standing there with a pistol pointed right at him.

"Christie? Christie, it's me Morgan? Put the gun down and let us in." The woman lowered her weapon and pulled back into the room and Morgan eased his way in. Jesse followed cautiously. Morgan seemed to know who this woman was but who else might be in here with her?

Morgan smiled at Christie. She had been a member of the group that had stayed here last summer. They had been lovers briefly but she had left with the others. Morgan had wanted to ask her to stay with him but he had let her go without saying anything. Another mistake. He should have because he thought about her every day.

Jesse decided to check out the rest of the place and let Morgan deal with the woman. They were still staring at each other when he got back from checking the one bedroom apartment. Everything was locked up securely.

Christie found her voice, "Morgan, It was getting dark when I got here last night and I got the ladder out and up the fire escape. I couldn't risk looking for you last night." She moved into the brighter light from the open window and dropped the blanket that she had wrapped around her. She was an attractive African-American woman in her late thirties and fairly far along in her pregnancy.

Morgan thought about those happy nights that Christie had graced his bed. She had lost her husband six months before she met him. It was probably his baby and that didn't matter because she had come here to him. He hugged her and she leaned into him.

Jesse said, "I'll go tell Rick and Daryl what's going on. Signal to us and we'll help you get her down the ladder."

Christie had found out after her group had wandered off that she was pregnant, and by that time the group had settled into a new place in Florida, but their place was overrun by walkers and she had escaped and began her journey back this way.

Morgan thought about his life here. He and Christie could stay here but the food was getting scarce. "Would you mind just one more journey? It's our best chance to have a real home and good people around us. It is all the way to the North Carolina mountains but these guys do know what they are doing."

Christie was dirty, tired, and hungry. She wanted to just stay put. The last few months had been a nightmare and she had just got here but she had seen the walkers in the street last night. "Sure, my stuff is already packed. Let's go".

The Tahoe was a little crowded but they scooted everybody and their stuff in. Rick drove them out of town and back on the road to home. Daryl thought about what Carol would do and offered Christie a protein bar and some water. He soon dug out some more food and made sure that she wasn't still hungry or needed anything. Daryl asked for a pit stop and earned another grateful look from Christie.

They decided to find another vehicle and found a truck that would do. They unloaded some of the things from the Tahoe. Daryl and Jesse took the truck. Rick drove and Morgan took the passenger seat so that Christie could rest in the back seat of the Tahoe. It began to rain and Daryl knew that they would never make it back to the place they had stopped the first night. Between the wind, rain, and every present threat of walkers everywhere they needed to drive carefully.

They stopped at noon and ate another cold meal. Daryl's instincts were telling him that he needed to find a warm secure shelter before the weather turned worse. He told the others that he was looking for a place to stop before it got late.

The afternoon drive was getting progressively harder. The wind was now blowing a mixture of rain and snow around and it felt as if it were getting colder. Daryl had made a side road trip or two and finally found a house tucked away in the woods with a wood stove. The windows were boarded on the ground floor and there weren't any walkers inside the house. There was a two car garage that was empty and they put their vehicles inside and brought their things into the house. Daryl had found enough dry firewood to last for a couple of weeks. He had the house warming up when they got there. They could use Brian's grill on the back porch if they needed to. They moved in as the rain-snow mix went to all snow and began to coat the roads with a thick mix of frozen rain and snow.

They found candles and lamps inside and Jesse cooked a hot meal from their rations. The house was well insulated and there was a bedroom downstairs and two upstairs. There wasn't much food here, but they found some dried rice and beans and a few cans of soup.

Morgan used his coffee pot and everyone enjoyed cups of hot coffee. Christie went to sleep in the bottom floor bedroom and Morgan sat where he could keep an eye on her and the rest of the house. The commode still flushed and they collected water from the nearby creek to make sure that there was enough to keep it working. They collected snow to melt for drinking and cooking water.

The wind and the snow continued the next day. Then, when things began to settle down it began to get colder. Everything was frozen in place and so were they. It would be days before the snow and ice would melt enough to be able to drive on the roads.


End file.
